


Ice and Stone

by gxanderia



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-30
Updated: 2015-07-23
Packaged: 2018-01-17 15:14:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 19
Words: 157,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1392391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gxanderia/pseuds/gxanderia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Several months after the first season of The Legend of Korra ends, Asami deals with losing her father and a failing company. She makes her way to Ba Sing Se with the hope of finding something new. She finds a new love and an old enemy. Now, she must do her best to defeat this enemy all while keeping her new family alive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Another empty can of cactus juice joins the group of five on the bar. Earlier that night, she thought she might drown her sorrows. How unfortunate for her, for they have learned how to swim. She sits alone at one end of the bar, allowing the cactus juice to blur her thoughts. She did not want to be reminded of how alone she is tonight, of how alone she has been for the past four months.

“Another miss?” The waiter asks. 

She shakes her head no. “Just water, please.” Her words slur.

The edges of the room begin to blur as she takes money out of her purse and slips it under an empty bottle. She watches Korra laughing with a group of her new friends. Mako sits beside her, smiling as though he was too cool to allow himself to laugh. She thinks she might recognize some of the people from the pro-bending arena, but she has not been back since it reopened. She smiles and nods as Bolin waves from the avatar’s table. As much as she did not want to come tonight, she could not say no to him. He seems to be the only friend she has left. 

The waiter sets a glass of water down before her. “One tall glass of water ma’am.”

“Thanks.” She forces a smile. 

She stares at the glass, watching sweat drip down its sides. The ice floats near the top. She toys with the idea that she can bend water. The water in the glass shakes. Asami rubs her eyes and looks again. 

“Hey!” Bolin says a little too loudly as he takes his place beside her. 

She drowns in disappointment. ‘ _Why did I think I could do that?_ ’ She asks herself. She shakes her head and turns to Bolin with a smile. A smile she is becoming very good at faking. 

“I’m loving your impression of Mako over here.” 

She nods before taking the glass and doing her best to drink as quickly as possible. The cool liquid soothes her throat. Her body relaxes as it passes over her tongue. 

“Too soon?” His eyes drop with apologies. 

“No, no. It’s fine.” She forces her words out past the glass.

“Take it easy there champ.” 

She slams the glass down on the bar. “I should head out. It’s getting late. I have a thing to do tomorrow.”

“Are you sure? Pabu thinks you should stay!” The fire ferret finds its way out of Bolin’s shirt and onto her lap.

She scratches his head and smiles. She looks past Bolin to see Korra, Mako, and their new friends. 

“Yeah, I’ll call you later okay?” Asami sets the fire ferret on the bar.

“Are you good to drive though? You had a few of these.” He motions to the empty cans. “More than a few actually. I could ask Korra to take you back on Naga.” Bolin points to the avatar.

She shakes her head as she leaves the bar. “I’m fine. I’ll call you later.”

Bolin waves goodbye. 

Asami stumbles into one of Republic City’s warm summer nights. She fumbles with her purse and searches for her keys. Leaning back on a wall, she exhales and eyes the street. All the cars parked before her bare her name. A name she wishes she did not have. She shakes memories of her father out of her head as she stumbles to her car. The street lights seem unusually bright tonight. Just another side effect of the cactus juice she figures. 

She drives as slow as she possibly can as she makes her way to Republic City’s backstreets. There are fewer lights here, fewer cars, fewer people. The street lamps bend and blur as she drives past them. She cannot form coherent thoughts. Her mind is a murky puddle. She wanted to forget everything for one night. She wanted all the memories and worries to melt away. She wanted peace. This is not exactly how she wanted it happen, but for tonight it will do. She relaxes in the driver’s seat, allowing her foot to become heavy on the gas pedal. She is not worried. 

She begins to doze off. Her body slumps over the steering wheel. A cat appears in her headlights. She sits up and slams on the breaks, doing her best to steer clear of the cat. Her car screeches to a halt on the sidewalk. Her mechanical beast rams into a streetlight. She exhales and bangs her head on the steering wheel. Her heart pounds against her ribcage. Each beat a protest to her recklessness. 

She stumbles out of the car and looks around for the cat, but cannot find it. Was the cactus juice playing tricks on her mind? Asami inspects the damage. Satomobiles are built to last, she knows she will not find much. She will be able to drive back to the place she once called home. 

“Got some car troubles there miss?” A gruff voice calls out behind her. 

Four men come out of the shadows with wicked grins on each of their faces. 

“No, I’m fine. I got it.” Asami mumbles. 

“Let us help. Poor thing like you shouldn’t be out at night all by herself.” Another man adds.

“No thanks.” She shakes her head.

“Oh come on.” A third man pleads. 

Annoyance furrows her brows. Her judgement is clouded by cactus juice. She could use a good fight tonight. She has nothing more to lose. 

“I said no. How stupid do you have to be not to understand that?” Her voice is louder than usual. 

The men are momentarily dumbfounded. “Looks like we got a sassy mouth on this one boys.” 

She opens her purse to find an equalist glove. She hesitates. Bits of the night she faced her father flash through her intoxicated mind. She tosses her purse aside and turns to face the men.She raises her fists and takes a fighting stance. Four blurry silhouettes inch their way toward to her. They begin to twist and bend, blurring the world around them. She shakes her head, trying to shake the juice out of her system.

“Looks like someone’s been hittin’ the cactus juice pretty hard. We’re gonna have fun with this one.” The gruff voice laughs. 

“I’d like to see you try.” She does her best not to slur her words. 

Her mind begins to play tricks on her as the men move closer. The street light shines brighter than the sun. She is blinded in the dark. 

“Hey!” A familiar voice calls out, echoing through the street. “Do we have a problem here?” 

The silhouettes begin backing away. She lowers her head, shielding herself from the stinging brightness of the street lamp. 

“No, ma’am. Not here, chief. Just trying to help out this girl is all. We didn’t mean nothing bad.” One of the men answers, fear shakes his voice. 

She falls back on her car. The world around her begins to fade as her head begins to throb. She allows her body to become heavy as her bottom hits the ground. She does not care what happens to her now. 

“Hey, kid! Are you all right?” 

She looks up to find Lin Beifong towering over her. 

“I’m sorry chief. I can pay for whatever damage was done.”

“I don’t think money can fix this type of damage.” She motions to Asami.

“Am I being arrested?” Her words are slow and soft. 

Lin holds out a hand and helps her to her feet. “No, I’m not chief anymore remember?” 

The girl nods. Her feet are unsure of where to step next. She struggles to reach over the door of her car to grab her purse. 

“I’ll call this in and take you home.”

“But I did something wrong. I have to,”

“No you don’t. Don’t worry about this. A few boys down at the station owe me a favor anyway.”

She finds she is too tired to argue. She allows the former police chief to guide her down the street. She can see Lin’s arm around her waist, but she cannot feel the woman at her side. Shecannot feel anything. This is what she wanted yet despite the numbness, a raincloud of melancholy still plagues her. 

Lin sets her down in the passenger seat of her car. Another Satomobile. She feels the urge to crash this car into a streetlamp as well. 

“Here, this’ll help.” Lin tosses a canteen into her lap. 

She twists off the cap and takes it to her mouth. She does not bother to question what is inside. Lukewarm bitter liquid hits her tongue. She swallows hard as a shiver runs down her spine

“What is this?” She asks eyeing the contents of the canteen. 

“Tea. I forgot to drink earlier.” Lin responds with nonchalance as she drives back to the main streets. 

“How is this going to help?”

Lin shrugs. “How is it going to hurt?”

She stares at the former chief for a moment before focusing her attention back to the canteen. She sighs and takes another drink. It might not help, but it will not hurt. 

“Thanks.” She says as she takes another swig. 

“I thought you didn’t like it?”

She shrugs. “I think it’s actually working.”

Asami relaxes in the passenger seat. The wind cools her burning cheeks. She closes her eyes and enjoy the feeling, pretending she is being blown away to far off land. “What were you doing in that alley anyway?”

“I always take the back roads home. Might get a chance to bash some heads.”

She raises an eyebrow. 

“No parking near the police station, so I parked back there.” 

“I thought you said you aren’t chief anymore?”

“I’m not. I turned down the job tonight. Apparently, they don’t like the new guy. ”

“May I ask why?” She takes another sip of tea.

“I actually like doing things outside the law. Things get done quicker.”

She nods. 

“What about you? I didn’t take you for someone who hangs around back alleys reeking of cactus juice.”

The girl shakes her head. “Neither did I.”

Lin nods. 

“I just wanted to forget for a night. I didn’t want to feel so horrible for one night.” She buries her head in her hands. 

“And that involves getting into fights with thugs?”

Uncertainty washes over her face. “I don’t know. I was just frustrated. I am frustrated!” She sighs, calming herself with another drink of tea. “Sorry.” Her voice is soft. She has never lost her temper so quickly before. 

“I understand. I was your age once. Lost some people. I’m Toph Beifong’s daughter, that doesn’t come without some expectations to live up to.”

The image of the statue of Lin’s mother flashes in her mind. She tries to image a nineteen year old Lin looking up at that statue knowing who it is and what it means. 

“But your mother founded the police here.”

“And your hair is black, what’s your point?” 

She shakes her head and takes another sip of tea, hoping it will help her intoxicated mind think clearly. “I mean, she built it. And you are her daughter. So, shouldn’t you,”

“Stop, kid. I know what you mean. It’s her legacy, not mine. She’s fine with it.”

The perplexity on her face intensifies. “I thought she was,”

“Ha! No, she’s not dead.That woman is too stubborn to die.” 

A grin creeps onto the girl’s face. This is the first time she has seen Lin laugh, let alone smile. 

“Is that where you were? When you were gone?”

Lin nods yes. “You noticed?” Sarcasm laces her voice. 

“Well, there was one less voice yelling at Korra.” 

Another smile finds its way onto Lin’s face. 

“How do you do it? Get out of your parent’s shadow?” Asami says mostly to herself as she stares at the city passing her by. “I’ve got a failing company to run that’s been stained by whatever my father did.” She continues to mumble to herself. She smacks her hand on her forehead. “I have a meeting tomorrow.” She lets out an exasperated sigh.

Lin is silent beside her as they pull up to the gates of the Sato mansion. She fumbles with the door handle, but stops when she feels a hand on her shoulder. Lin waves a lazy hand over her steering wheel as the gates open. 

“I forgot Korra gave you your bending back.”

“She didn’t.”

The girl tilts her head in confusion. 

“I went to see my mother to get it back. Wasn’t gone, just blocked.” 

The car stops just before the steps leading into the massive house. 

“Anyone home?”

She shakes her head no as she staggers out of the car. She is surprised to feel a sturdy hand clutch her arm to keep her steady. She looks down to see Lin’s bare feet planted on the ground. 

“Do you always drive barefoot?”

“Had to make sure there are no thugs hanging around.” Lin’s voice is laced with uncertainty.

“Something wrong?” 

The chief shakes her head no. 

“Well, thanks for the ride Chief Beifong. I mean Miss Beifong? No, that doesn’t sound right. I mean not in a bad way,” She is silenced by Lin’s raised hand. 

“Just Lin.” 

“Right, Lin. You’ll kind of just always be the chief to me. You’re welcome to stay the night if you’d like. It’s not like anyone else is here.” She sighs. “Unless there’s someone waiting for you?”

Lin raises an eyebrow. 

The girl shakes her head in embarrassment and makes her way up the stairs. She stumbles and nearly falls. A pillar of stone rises before her and catches her. 

“Oh spirits, I might as well.” Lin whispers to herself as she makes her way up the stairs to help Asami.  

“Thanks. Again. You can stay in the… Actually stay in any room you want.” Her exhaustion manifests in her words. “This is going to hurt in the morning isn’t it?”

“You’re made of stone, kid. Nothing you can’t handle.”

 

Asami wakes up face down on her pillow. Slivers of sunlight peak through the heavy curtains of her room. She sits up to find she is still dressed in her clothes from the previous night. A hammer pounds in her skull. Her body begs for water. She is slow to rise as she waits for the room to stop spinning. All the little aches and pains of her body are making themselves known. There is a stale, bitter taste in her mouth. She groans as she gets up to undress. She finds an old Future Industries shirt and throws it over her head as she makes her way to the bathroom. She has a company meeting today. She has to be reminded of what her father did. She has to come home to an empty house again. Cold water hits her face and wakes her up. She does not care what time it is, she is starting not to care much about the company either. 

She tosses aside a towel. “I can’t not care.” She whispers to herself. 

Asami makes her into the main kitchen to find Lin fully dressed, sitting at the counter with a teapot. Pillars of steam dance over two cups of tea. 

“Morning.” She mumblesas she takes a seat opposite of Lin.

The woman nods and slides a cup over. 

“Thanks again for everything.”

“Don’t mention it. I think I saved those thugs from a beating. They should be thanking me.”

She smiles.

“Where’d you learn how to fight?”

“My mother was friends with a few Kyoshi warriors. They began teaching me after she passed away. I haven’t seen them in years though.” She fiddles with the bracelet on her wrist. The bracelet her mother gave her. 

“Yeah? It shows. My aunt was a Kyoshi warrior.”

“Oh?” 

Lin nods. “I had a fun childhood.”

The women let out small laughs. Asami imagines what it would have been like to grow up with the greatest earth bender in the world as your mother, the avatar as your uncle, and a Kyoshi warrior for an aunt. 

“So, you just stopped after they left?”

“Stopped training you mean? Yes, just did what I could on my own.”

“I could train you if you want. To use the cables, to fight like an earth bender.”

She sinks in her chair. “I’m not a bender though.” 

“An answer to a question I never asked.” 

“I could never be like you.” She rests her head on the counter.

“No one’s asking you to be.”

She looks up with uncertainty in her eyes. The woman’s words flip a switch in her.

Lin tosses her a brown paper bag. “Think about it. Now, get dressed. I’ll drop you off.” 

 

She sinks into the lavish leather chair. The company is losing more money. More investors have pulled out. People are still thinking Asami is an equalist like her father. She feels they did not need to have a meeting to tell her what she already knew. Her father taught her the basics of how to run Future Industries, but all of this is overwhelming. Anger wells up in her chest as she thinks about her father. How he left her to run this company on her own. How he left her to live this live on her own. 

Men and women in suits continue to argue as she continues to live in her head. She finds it difficult to remember last night, but the short time she spent with Lin that morning plays in her mind. It was the first time in a long while she felt okay. She curses herself for turning down Lin’s offer. Of course the chief knows she is not a bender. She has nothing to lose by learning a new style of fighting. It will take her mind off the mess that has become her life. She looks down to see a brown paper bag near her foot. She grabs it and opens it beneath the desk. An apple, a melon flavored bread roll, and, what Asami assumes is some sort of candy lie at the bottom of the bag. She does her best to contain a grin. Lin made her lunch. ‘ _Why didn’t you say yes!_ ’ Her mind screams. 

She rises to her feet. The arguments stop. 

“This meeting is over.” Her words are firm. 

“But Miss Sato,” One of the men tries to stop her.

“I’m sorry sir, did I stutter? This meeting is over.” She repeats as she walks out of the room, paper bag in hand. 

She walks into an empty office and picks up the phone. She fiddles with her bracelet as she listens to the ringing on the other end. Three red gems hang loosely on her wrist, a memory flashes in her mind of her mother. 

“Lin Beifong speaking.”

“Lin, it’s Asami. I’ll do it. I’ll train with you. When can we start?”

“Great. Meet me in the park outside the city tonight around eight.”

“Okay, see you then.” Asami hangs up the phone with a smile on her face. 

For the first time in a long time she finds herself looking forward to something. 

 

Sitting in the grass beneath a tree, she waits for Lin to arrive. She removes her jacket and neatly folds it in her lap. She thinks she should have worn a black tank top instead, the white one she has on is sure to stain. She does not mind. Lin’s car parks across the street. Asami stands and throws her jacket to the side. 

“Rough day at the office?” Lin greets.

“Just another day at Future Industries.” She sighs. 

“Oh?”

She is unsure whether she should continue talking about her day. She does not even tell Bolin about the goings on of the company these days. She does not have the heart to tell the boy Future Industries will not be able to sponsor the Fire Ferrets much longer. 

“Yep, we’re going broke because no one wants anything to do with Future Industries, the ‘equalist’ company.”

“They think you’re like your father?”

The girl nods. There is silence between them as Lin stands menacingly next to her. The girl leans on a the tree and allows her thoughts to run wild. 

“Take off your shoes.”

“What?” 

“Take off your shoes. We’re doing this like my mother taught me.” 

A tinge of fear races up her spine, but she obeys. 

“You watch pro-bending right?”

“Used to.”

“Forget everything you’ve seen in the arena. Those guys play, we’re going to fight.” 

“Yes ma’am.”

“Avatar Kyoshi was a native earth bender, as I’m sure you know.” Lin removes her metal bending top. “So, you know more than you think, kid.”

She plays with the thought that a stranger can easily mistaken them as mother and daughter. 

“Lin, why are you doing this?” 

“I have nothing better to do tonight.”

“Lin.”

“You looked like you could use a friend.”

She is awestruck. She had never spent much time with the former chief, let alone had a conversation with her. Now, they are friends. 

“You don’t believe me?” Lin’s voice draws her out of her head. 

“No, I do. I just don’t understand why. But, I know better than to question you.”

“Smart.” Lin throws a punch into Asami’s arm

The girl grins as she rubs the spot on her bicep. 

“I’ll start off slow. Do everything I do. Try to keep up.”

 

“Take a water break kid.” Lin says as they enter her home. Asami has been training with her every night for the past two weeks. She has learned to ignore the aching cries of her muscles and push forward. Each time she trains with Lin, her mind is focused on her movements, her breath, the aches in her body. She plops herself down on Lin’s brown leather couch, each sip of cool water feels like heaven in a glass. Lin makes her way to a corridor and enters one of the rooms. Her eyes wander. Lin’s home is exactly as she thought it would be, yet not at all like she imagined. The floor is made of soft tan colored stone tiles. The walls are painted light grey and compliment the earthen tones of her furniture. She eyes the kitchen and notices how everything is accented with metal detailing. Lin has turned her elegant home into a weapon. 

The chief walks into the living room holding a tattered old box and tosses it onto the couch beside her. “Try it on. It should fit. It was mine when I was your age. It was too big for me.” 

The girl is frozen. She sets her glass down on the coffee table and lifts the lid on the box. A black metal bending uniform greets her. An image of a flying boar is etched into the left breastplate. The name ‘Beifong’ is written beneath it. There are many scratches and nicks decorating the uniform. She holds it up to examine the metal cables resting on spools attached to its back. 

“I don’t think I can handle this.”

“I do. I wouldn’t be giving it to you if I didn’t.”

Shock floods her body. She is certain her mother gave her this uniform. “Lin, I can’t take this.”

“Yes, you can.” Lin walks back into the corridor and enters another door. 

“Lin! I can’t take this!” She shouts as she hears running water from the bathroom.

“Sorry, can’t hear you.”

“Can’t hear me? Or don’t want to hear me?”

“Whichever makes you feel better!” Lin shouts. 

She cannot help but grin as she gives up on trying to bargain with the metal bender. “She really is as stubborn as a rock.” She mutters to herself.

She slinks back into the couch, running her hands over all the little nicks and scratches on the uniform. All the history in each scratch and all the stories it could tell makes her imagination run wild. She cannot help but wonder what Lin was like when she was younger. 

Her daydreams are interrupted by a ringing phone. She is not sure if she should answer it, but she feels it would be rude to let it ring. 

“Could you get that?" Lin shouts over rushing water. 

She jumps to her feet and rushes to the phone at a nearby side table. 

“Beifong residence, Asami Sato speaking. How may I help you?" 

“Oh. Umm... I was not expecting that." A smooth female voice responds on the other line. "I didn't know she had a personal assistant."

“Oh, no. I'm not her personal assistant." 

“Oh. So, you're her girlfri-"

“No!" She exclaims with a mixture of embarrassment and shock. "She's just teaching me how to fight!"

“Sorry! I didn't mean to offend or anything. Actually, your name sounds familiar."

Her stomach drops. She is expecting the worst, because the worst always happens when someone recognizes her name. 

“Oh well. I'm Sanya, Lin's niece. Sort of."

“How exactly can you be her 'sort of' niece?" She asks with a hint of suspicion. 

“Well her mom, my gran, and my grumps grew up together. Her mom was always Aunt Toph to me." 

“Grumps?”

“Oh, grandfather. Sorry.” Sanya apologizes with a giggle. 

“That must have been fun." She jokes. 

“It was definitely not boring." Sanya laughs.

She cannot contain grin as she thinks about Lin's family. She imagines Lin playing with this girl as she was a child.

“Hello?" 

“I’m here, sorry. You said your grandparents and her mother are close?" 

“Were." 

“Oh. I am so sorry." 

“It's all right! This whole conversation will end up with us apologizing to each other the whole time!” 

They both giggle. 

“I take it you didn't call to talk to me though."

“And you're right. Smart girl. If I didn't have news I think I might like to just sit here and talk to you." 

Silence on both ends. Asami does not know what to say. She feels as though she might want the same. 

“Umm... Right, the news. From her mother." Sanya stops speaking. There are muffled voices in the background. “Excuse me.” Sanya’s voice becomes distant. “Right, okay." Asami hears her say. "Sorry,” Her words are cut off my laughter. “I was right. We would spend the whole conversation apologizing." 

She giggles. She turns to hear the shower stop running. 

“Actually, Lin was just in the bathroom. She'll be out soon if you don't mind waiting." 

“Okay, that's fine. I take it you'll be keeping me company until then?"

She tries to bite back a smile. "Sure." 

“And to answer your question earlier, yes they were super close." 

The girl takes a moment to recall her question. 

“You want to ask who my grandparents were don't you?" 

She thinks she can hear the girl smiling.  

“I do, but I won't. Lin's out now." 

“I have to say I'm a bit disappointed. But, it has been a pleasure talking to you Miss Asami Sato.”

“Please, just Asami. It was nice talking to you too. Hope we can talk again." She says before covering the receiving end of the phone. 

She knows she will probably never talk to this Sanya again, but the thought brings a smile to her face. She stands by the table and waits for Lin to walk over. Her hair is still wet from her shower but she is fully dressed. 

“It's for you. I mean, of course it's for you. It's your niece."

Lin nods and takes the phone. "Sanya?" 

She moves back to the couch and fiddles with her bracelet again. She does her best not to eavesdrop on Lin's conversation. She lets out a sigh. She manages to make a friend she will never talk to again. 

“All right. Tell Ma I'll leave as soon as I can." Lin hangs up. 

Asami sits up, unsure of what to do next. Lin casually makes her way to the kitchen and returns eating an apple. She tosses one over to her. 

“There's trouble in Ba Sing Se." Lin breaks the silence. "The equalist movement made it there and they're stirring up some trouble. My mother is doing the best she can to keep them contained, but it keeps getting worse." 

“But Amon is dead, how can it be that bad?" 

“They saw him as some sort of martyr. There's reason to believe they have a new leader.”

Her mind races. Could her father be involved? Would they know what happened to him? 

“I’ll be leaving soon.”

“I want to go with you.” She blurts out. 

Lin is silent, keeping her eyes on the girl.

“Give me a couple days to get things sorted out with the company. I’ll drive us to Ba Sing Se if you want,”

Lin silences her with a hand. “We’ll take a train.”

“Aren’t you going to ask why I want to go or try to convince me to stay?”

“Nope.” The woman gets to her feet and continues to the other end of the couch where she sits. 

She would be leaving Republic City for the first time since she was a child. She will be in a new city, with new people. 

“Lin, can I use your phone?”

The woman nods yes. 

She dials the number to her office, her secretary answers. “This is Miss Sato. I will be leaving Republic City for a while. I will be in Ba Sing Se to check on the factory we have there. Make sure everyone knows. Thank you, that is all.” She hangs up. 

She thinks to call Air Temple Island to tell Bolin, but she fears either Korra or Mako will answer. She inhales and dials the number, holding her breath with each ring.

“Air Temple Island, Tenzin speaking.” A strong male voice answers after a few rings. 

She exhales. “Hi Tenzin, it’s Asami. Would be all right if I talk to Bolin?” 

“Of course. One moment.”

She can hear people muttering through the phone and children shrieking. 

“Asami! What’s going on?” Bolin’s voice laced with genuine happiness. 

“Hey, Bo. Umm, I’m going away for a while.”

“What!”

“Yeah, I’ll be leaving in a few days for Ba Sing Se.” 

Silence. She does not want to hurt the boy anymore. He has been through enough.

“I’m sorry, Bo. But, I have to go.”

“When are you coming back?” His disappointment carries over through the phone.

“I don’t know, but I promise I’ll call you all the time.”

“Okay, but why do you have to leave?”

“I just have to.” She feels sadness filling her. She did not think he would take it this hard. 

“Okay.”

“Hey, I’ll bring you back something okay? Now, let me say bye to Pabu.” She adds hoping to brighten his mood. 

“He’ll miss you more than I will!” 

She hears soft squeaks and chittering. “I’ll miss you too Pabu. I’ll bring you back something too.”

The chittering stops. 

“Bo, no one’s living at the mansion. If you and Mako want to watch over it while I’m,”

“We’d love to!” Bolin cuts her off. 

She grins. “Okay, thanks Bo. I’ll drop off the keys soon. Try not to throw too many crazy parties.”

“Me? Throw a crazy party? I would never think of such a thing! So, thank you for giving me the idea!”

They share a laugh. 

“I’d tell you to take care of yourself, but I’d be more worried about whoever makes you mad.” Bolin jokes. 

She giggles again. “Okay, Bo. I’ll see you when I get back. Take care.” 

“Bye Asami. Remember, you’re still part of team avatar!”

She hangs up slowly and falls back on the wall beside her. She is really leaving Republic City. Fear and excitement become indistinguishable. 

“Everything okay?” Lin pulls her out of her thoughts.

She nods. Her mouth curls into a smirk. “We’re going to Ba Sing Se.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Asami spent the entire train ride to Ba Sing Se reading history books, sketching in her notebook, and listening to Lin’s occasional bursts of socializing. In yet another Satomobile, Lin drives through the wide streets of Ba Sing Se. Asami’s eyes widen in wonder. She thought Republic City was large, it seems like a village compared to this city. The upper ring of the city houses beautifully made stone buildings. Each structure is accented with jade stones. The cityscape does not overpower the soft brilliance of the night sky, but compliments it. Finely dressed citizens lazily walk along the sidewalk, occasionally walking to a shop or stopping for a late night snack. She has never seen a city with such cohesion, a stark contrast to the conglomerate that is Republic City. 

“You sure you don’t want to drive?” Lin asks

She nods her head yes. Since that night in the alleyway, she has lost her love of driving. Something she did not think was possible. 

“I can have Sanya show you around tomorrow if you want.” Lin says over the chatter of the city. 

Asami sits up, her attention peaks. “Sanya’s here?”

“Of course she is.” 

The girl contains a grin. 

“You two are the same age, you should get along.” Lin shrugs. “Or not, I can never tell with that one.” 

She is anxious to meet a living legend and a new friend. 

Lin drives out of the main city and into a quiet suburb. The homes are beautifully constructed. Each different, yet fitting perfectly with one another. Like the buildings in the main city, the homes are accented with emerald stones. Lush green lawns adorn each home. The car makes a sudden stop. 

“What’s wrong?” She asks. 

“Movement, over there. People moving like they don’t want to be seen.” Lin answers as she hops out of the car. 

She is quick to follow. She leaves her purse and jacket behind. If these people are equalists, she did not want to bring her glove along. She crouches as she follows Lin across the street and between the houses. She had a feeling a big city like this was not as perfect as it seems. 

Lin stops with her back to a wall, keeping her eyes on the figures around the corner. Asami stays low as she kneels on the ground. Three figures move through the darkness. Two more take their places on either side of a what appears to be their captive. The prisoner, whose hands are bound at their back, has what appears to be a burlap sack over their head. 

She looks up at Lin.”What’s the plan?”

The metal bender’s face exudes determination. “Go in. Free that person. Get out.”

The girl can feel her nerves buzz with anxiety, but she nods in agreement. “Of all the nights to wear this skirt.” She mumbles to herself.

The figures open a stone door on the ground behind one of the houses and shove their prisoner down into the darkness. They follow and close the door. 

“All right, kid. You ready?” 

“As I’ll ever be.”

Lin makes a dash to the door, Asami at her heels. She bends the door open and walks down the stairs. Asami’s eye adjust to the darkness fairly quickly. She breathes in slowly, not wanting to inhale too much dust. The musty smell of earth fills her nostrils. To her left is a long corridor leading to a door. 

Lin firmly plants a barefoot on the dusty floor. “Oh no.” She groans as she rubs her temples. 

“What is it?”

“There are eight people down here. Three of them I know, so that makes five people who probably want to hurt us. I’ll take care of them. You try and free the ones locked up. Go the opposite direction I go. Understood?” Lin whispers.

She nods. 

They sprint to the door. Lin kicks it down. Two people in equalist masks greet them. In one fluid movement Lin knocks one unconscious with a swift foot to the mouth. Asami slides beneath the kicking leg of the other. She grabs the other and slams an equalist skull into the ground. 

“You’re a fast learner. See you up top.” Lin says as she runs into another corridor. 

Asami looks down the corridor before her. Small lights hang from the ceiling, giving the corridor and eerie yellow glow. The walls are lined with cells. She looks back past the bodies on the ground. There is a small table and three chairs against the wall. A ring of keys and a triangular leather case lies on the table. She takes both. 

She never did like being underground. Too many secrets are held below the surface. She is not too fond of secrets. The first two cells on her right are empty. She makes her way to the second cell on the left. She unlocks it and helps a man to his feet. His face is bloody is bruised but he is able to stand. 

“Can you walk?”

He nods his head yes.

“You can go, I’ll free the others.”

He leaves and mouths thank you. 

The next cell holds a woman, not much older than herself. 

“Who are you?” The woman asks as she clings to the bars. 

She looks into her grey eyes. Wisps of brown hair stick to her face. Blood has crusted on the corner of her mouth, surrounded by a fresh bruise. She wears an emerald dress like the civilians back in the city. 

“I’ve come to help.”

The woman opens her mouth as is to say something, but closes it and walks out as soon as Asami opens the cell. 

“Thank you.” She says as she joins the man down the corridor. 

Asami makes her way. To the very last cell. A woman sits by the back wall, hands bound at her back and her head covered with a burlap sack. Her body shakes. Heavy breathing comes from behind a burlap mask. She is the person they saw earlier. She looks for a moment, the sound of things crashing and bodies thumping echo throughout the underground prison. She quickly opens the cell and makes her way to the figure. Her long legs are sprawled out before her, covered in dark leather pants and knee high boots to match. 

“I’m not one of them, I’m here to help.” 

“What?” Her voice is muffled through the sack. 

She fumbles with the knot. The captive’s bare arms are bruised as her muscles strain against the rope. Her forearms are covered by some sort of white sleeve, they are not thick enough to protect her wrists from injury. 

“Ouch.” The woman exclaims.

“Sorry.” 

“Do I know you?” The woman asks. “You sound familiar.”

Asami lets out a snicker. “I really don’t think you do.”

“My boomerang. They have it. Do you think you can use that to,”

“Boomerang?” Asami whispers mostly to herself.

She takes the triangular leather case and opens it. A boomerang. She takes it and uses it to cut through the rope. 

“Thanks!” The woman says as she stands.

Her voice is familiar. As she gets to her feet, Asami finds her to be a few inches taller than herself. She removes the burlap sack from her head to reveal long black hair. She wears a sleeveless dark blue top. There are tears near her rib cage and down her back. As she turns, she can see the middle portion of her hair is pure white. She has pulled it back and tied it, leaving the rest of her hair to frame her face. 

“I really appreciate it. I’d love to stay and chat, but I think we should go.” A small smile forms on her face. 

Asami stares as she hands her the boomerang.

“Oh boomerang, you do always come back.” She sheaths it and fastens it to her back. 

“Right, Lin should be outside by now.”

“Wait, Lin? Lin Beifong? Or is that just a common name these days?” She stops just outside the cell.

Asami nods. “Lin Beifong.” She confirms. 

“Miss Asami Sato?” The woman says with some uncertainty. 

Asami tilts her head in confusion. She knew the voice was familiar. She nods yes.

“Sanya!” She points to her chest. 

She cannot help but laugh. 

“This is not exactly how I imagined meeting you.” Sanya utters nervously as she holds out her hand. 

Asami takes it and shakes it with mock formality. The girl’s demeanor shifts almost instantly, her confidence sinks as Asami shakes her hand. The girl can feel giggles sprouting from her chest, but she does her best to suppress them as she hides her face in her free hand. 

“I’m glad you two are getting along just beautifully, but unfortunately this visit is over!” Lin screams from the far end of the cell block. 

“After you.” Sanya moves aside to let Asami through. 

She runs down the cell block, expecting to see Lin and the others waiting by the entrance. Disappointment greets her in the form of two equalists blocking their path. She turns expecting to see Sanya right behind her, but the other girl is still by the far end of the cell block. She stands near a bucket. 

“Duck!” Sanya shouts. 

She does not hesitate and drops to the floor. Her right arm hits something sharp. A whimper of pain escapes her mouth, but the pain is bearable. She sees Sanya kick the bucket and bend the water into ice. Moving like water, she stops just short of Asami and extends her hands. The men scream. There is loud thud. Bits of dirt fall on her. 

“Are you all right?” The water bender asks helping her to her feet. 

“I’m fine, thanks. I didn’t know you were a water bender.” She blurts out. 

“I didn’t know you were so pretty.” Sanya mutters beneath her breath.

The water bender realizes her words were said a little too loudly. Asami contains another grin, blood rushes to her face. Sanya runs past her, keeping her gaze on the ground. 

“Come on ladies!” Lin’s voice echoes from the entrance. 

She follows the water bender through the corridor and up the stairs. She rejoices upon breathing in fresh air.  

Lin and the others stand near a home across the lawn of the entrance. 

“More are sure to come to check up on these fools.” Lin says. 

“I can take Chan home.” The woman in the dress says. 

Asami can see her face more clearly out in the open. Her sharp features are dulled by bruises. There is a fresh cut above almond shaped eyes. She holds the man by his waist as he struggles to breathe. 

“Thanks Mai. I’ll take these two home. Come by tomorrow, we’ll talk about this with my mother.” Lin says. 

Mai turns to Asami. “Thank you.” 

“Of course.” 

“Sanya, are you all right?”

Asami turns to find the water bender standing a few feet behind her. Moonlight illuminates the streak of white hair running through a sea of black. Her large blue eyes dart from Asami to Lin to a point just beyond them. 

“I’m fine. Just a bit bruised up.” She says in a daze before whistling. 

Asami’s confusion cannot be masked. Lin does not seem phased. Before she can ask, a large white wolf comes bounding out of a nearby bush. She is momentarily frozen with fear as it stops at stares at her. The fear soon diminishes as the wolf runs off and falls at Sanya’s feet. The water bender smiles and falls to her knees to pet the wolf. 

“You were with Jet when they took you?” 

The girl nods as she gets to her feet. 

“You can tell me about it later. Come on girls.” She motions to the car. “Mai.” A nod of acknowledgement. “Chan.” Another nod. 

Asami follows Lin to the car. Fur brushes up against her right hand. She looks down to find the wolf, Jet, walking beside her. He sniffs her fingers before pushing his head into her hands. She cannot refuse his request for a petting. 

“He doesn’t usually do that with strangers.” Sanya says coming up on Asami’s left.

“He must like me.”

“He is an excellent judge of character.” The water bender says with a shy smile. 

Asami grins as they reach the car. Jet bolts from beneath her hand and jumps into the passenger seat. 

“I am not driving with him in the front seat.” Lin protests. 

“He made up his mind! Who am I to dictate his life?” Sanya jokes. 

She suppresses her laughter as she jumps into the backseat behind Lin. Sanya follows. 

Lin drives down the dark street with Jet beside her. The wolf lies his head on her lap. The metal bender does not seem to mind as she scratches behind his ear. The sight makes Asami more comfortable, yet more anxious all at once. She will be an outsider in this family, just like she was in Republic City. 

“You’re hurt.” Sanya pulls Asami out of her thoughts. 

“How bad is it?” Lin calls from the front seat. 

“Oh, it’s just a cut. It’s nothing.” She eyes her right arm. A gash bleeds right above her wrist.  

Lin tosses a canteen over her shoulder. 

Sanya catches it. 

“I don’t think tea will help this time.” Asami jokes. 

“It’s water, to clean it off.” Lin answers.

“May I?” Sanya’s asks trying to avoid Asami’s gaze.

She stares into sapphire orbs illuminated by the light of the full moon. There is genuine innocence in her eyes. She gives Sanya her arm. 

“Pretty bracelet.” 

“Thanks, my mom gave it to me.” Asami notices a small pendent fall out of Sanya’s shirt, a crescent moon made of pearl. 

“I like your necklace.”

“Thanks, Aunt Katara gave it to me.” She looks down at her pendent. 

She expects the other girl to bend water out of the canteen and heal her wound. Sanya exhales when she takes Asami’s arm, her mouth almost curving into a frown. Her hands are cold, but gentle, as though she were afraid to touch her. She pours water over the wound, washing away blood and dirt. Her gentle hands wipe away access water. She cannot understand why the water bender did not heal her wound. Sanya pulls out a small box from a pocket on her boomerang sling. 

“Couldn’t you just heal it, like other water benders do?” Asami inquires. 

“I could, but I’m not like other water benders.” Sanya grins. “Plus, you wouldn’t be able to wear one of these!” She pulls out two rolls of bandages, one with small flying bisons drawn on them, winged lemurs adorn the other. 

Asami giggles at the other girl’s playfulness. “I’ll take the bisons.” 

Sanya unrolls the bandage and lightly wraps it around Asami’s arm. “There you go. All done.” 

“Thanks.” She grins at all the little sky bisons seemingly flying around her arm. “Do you always keep bandages with you?”

“Well, usually. I can be a bit clumsy when Jet’s around. He loves to run around my legs you see.” 

The wolf perks up at the sound of his name. He rises from Lin’s lap and rests his head on the seat facing Sanya. 

“I didn’t think there were any wolves in this part of the world.” 

“There aren’t.” Lin chimes in. “Aunt Katara found him, abandoned as a pup. Thought to name him after someone she used to know.”

“She gave him to me a bit after…” Her words trial off. Her eyes drop to her lap. A sad smile spreads across her face. 

“I like to think grumps was reincarnated into Jet.” Her eyes reveal a contradiction. A sort of melancholy happiness. 

Asami smiles at the mention of Sanya’s grandfather. There is a light in the girl’s eyes each time she speaks of her grandparents. A light soon followed by gloom. Though, she cannot help but wonder why the girl never speaks of her parents. 

“How are things in Republic City? I haven’t been there since I was kid.”

“Well, the avatar trashed the city.” Lin says half jokingly. 

Asami giggles. 

“How long will you be staying with us?” Sanya asks looking up a full moon.

“I don’t know.” She furrows her brow, thinking of when she would eventually have to return to Republic City. “Lin, how long am I staying?”

“As long as you want, kid.”

The girl notices a grin on Sanya’s face. She tries to hide it. 

“What about you auntie?” The water bender teases.

A smirk grows on Asami’s face. The woman all of Republic City knows as “The Chief” is simply “auntie” to the girl beside her. 

“As long as I can handle my mother.”

“Don’t let her scare you, Aunt Toph is great.”

“She sounds great.” 

“She’ll love you. I know she will.” The water bender flashes an innocent smile, a red hue growing in her cheeks.

Lin drives past another row of houses into an open clearing. In the distance, she can see a large home. A small lake beside it shimmers in the dark. 

“Aunt Toph and Aunt Katara made that lake.” Sanya leans in and says softly. “Grumps helped too.”

“Uncle Sokka “supervised.” I don’t think that counts.” Lin adds. 

Sanya shrugs. “He likes to think he helped.” 

Asami snickers. The love of this family radiates. She cannot help but bask in its warmth. 

“But, he did help with the house. Sort of.”

“He did all the design stuff. Things my mother couldn’t care less about.” Lin adds. “My mother built this from the ground up. Literally.”

“That’s amazing. It’s beautiful.” 

The home becomes bigger as they get closer. Stone pillars rise to greet them in an outdoor foyer. The polished tan stone matches the color of those she saw in the city. A lush green lawn surrounds the house and the lake. From what she can see in the dark, a variety of flowers and trees surround the lake. Large boulders adorn the lawn. Black and silver accents decorate the front of the home. A dark emerald roof tops the stone house. As they near the home, she notices the image of a flying boar etched into the stone roof of the foyer, accented with black marble. Lin’s mother has made her home her weapon as well. 

“She lives here alone?” Asami accidentally says out loud. 

“No, I’m here. And so is Pebble.” Sanya replies. 

“Pebble?”

“Well, his name is Li, but we’ve always called him Pebble. You’ll meet him.”

Lin parks the car beneath the foyer. Jet jumps out and runs to the large steel doors. Sanya steps out of the car and stands beside it. The girl tugs at her arm sleeves and kicks about a pebble on the ground. The double steel doors open, a large bald man steps out. An apron two sizes too small hangs from his neck, straining across his heavily muscled chest. Large muscular arms nearly lift the wolf off its feet as he greets it. 

“Lin! You’re back. Don’t tell me you’ve lost your bending again?” His deep voice is laced with joy.

“Not this time. I brought a friend.” 

Asami stands near the front of the car, waving and smiling. 

“Miss Sato, welcome. As you can see, we’re a fan of your work.” Pebble gestures to the car. 

“What?” Sanya’s confusion manifests as she drops the bags she takes from the car’s trunk. 

“She makes Satomobiles, she owns Future Industries. I thought you’d be smart enough to figure that out.” 

“I thought it was a common name, you know, like Li.” 

“Hey!” Pebble yells with a grin from the door. 

“And be careful with those.” Lin adds

“Right, sorry. I’m sorry. I’ll just take these in.” She takes as many bags as she can and rushes through the doors, avoiding eye contact with Asami. 

The girl frowns. 

“I can handle the rest of the bags. Lin, she is in the living room.”

“Come on, kid.” Lin motions for Asami to follow. 

“Thank you.” She says softly as she passes by Peeble. 

She walks through the doors into a large dimly lit hexagonal greeting room. Her bags and one of Lin’s suitcases wait near a dark corridor. She follows Lin to the left into a large living area. Like the previous room, it is dimly lit. There is not much need for light when one is blind. Two large emerald green couches sit against the wall. A stone table sits at the center of the room, metal legs holding it up. The golden curtains are drawn back to reveal the boulders in the lawn. Sitting on one of the large couches is a short, older woman. Her grey hair is tied back into a large bun, long bangs cover most of her face. Her feet rest on the stone table as she sips her tea. She has only seen her in photos wearing a metal bending uniform, but tonight she wears loose green and yellow pajamas. She turns toward Asami and plants her feet on the ground. 

Lin stops just before the table and puts a hand on her hip. Asami stands beside her. 

“You brought a friend?” She asks her daughter. “Who is she? She feels like you.”

Asami and Lin shoot each other a look, they are both standing with one hip cocked to the side. Asami moves forward to introduce herself while Lin moves to close the curtains. 

“I’m Asami Sato. It’s a pleasure to meet you Sifu Beifong.” 

“You never called me Sifu Beifong.” Lin mutters in the corner. 

“Because you’re not me!” The older woman laughs. “Just Toph, kiddo.” She sends a punch into the girl’s arm. “That’s how we show affection.”

Asami cannot help but snicker as she raises an eyebrow at Lin. 

The woman shrugs, a slight grin begins to form on her face. 

“Lin’s told me about you, said you’re quite the fighter.”

“I try. She’s been teaching me to fight like her, err, like you.” 

“Aunt Toph,” Sanya calls from the other side of the room, Pebble stands beside her. “Sorry to interrupt, but where will Asami be staying?”

“Whichever room isn’t occupied. The one across from yours is empty right?”

Sanya nods. Her eyes meet with Asami’s. She smiles before looking away. Pebble gentle pats the girl’s shoulder before walking past the girl. 

“Actually, now would be a good time to tell us what happened.” Lin says over a cup of tea.

Asami’s eyes go from Lin to her mother. If Toph’s eyes were not glazed over with blindness, they would have the same eye color. They both slouch into the couch, throwing aside formalities. 

“Got in trouble again kid?” Toph asks without a grain of anger in her voice. 

The water bender walks forward wringing her hands. She keeps her head down, but Asami can see embarrassment coloring her face. She stops a few steps to the right. 

“I was out for a walk with Jet,” The wolf bounds into the room and settles in beside Toph. “And you know I wasn’t looking for trouble because I had my boomerang with me and not my jacket!” She adds. 

Asami moves to the side and stands beside Lin. The metal bender motions for her to sit down, she obeys. 

“I saw a couple of guys take a lady’s purse. So, I followed them. I didn’t know it was a trap. They took me down. I made Jet run for it. I didn’t know they had Mai and Chan too.”

Sanya’s eyes drop. She furiously scratches her bicep.  

“I know you better than that. Three guys? That’s not enough to take you down.” Toph points to Sanya.

“I thought if they took me to wherever, I could find out what they were up to. But they had those glove things again.”

Asami swallows a lump of guilt in her throat. She remembers the equalist glove still in her purse. She wrings her hands. 

“It didn’t hit me, but I got hit enough to make me pretty useless.”

“And Miss Sato here helped get you out?” 

Sanya nods yes. Her face burning red as she looks to Asami. She diverts her gaze. 

“Lin told me there was something special about you. I’m surprised she’s actually right.” 

“Mother.” Lin buries her head in her hand. 

“I’m kidding, but she was right kid.” 

The girl grins. “Thank you.”She says to both Beifong women.

“Linnora, it’s getting worse.” Toph turns her head to face her daughter. “Sanya, show Asami to her room.” 

 The water bender waits for Asami to get to her feet. “Come on Jet.” She motions to the wolf. 

As they make their way out, they can hear the conversation between mother and daughter. 

“What exactly is getting worse, her recklessness or the equalists?” Lin asks quite loudly. 

Sanya’s scratching becomes more intense. The red in her face intensifies. 

“Lin! Leave her alone. We’ve got bigger things to worry about.”

The water bender keeps her head down as she walks though the greeting area. Her bags near the corridor are gone. Sanya is silent as they walk through a dark corridor. Asami wants to say something to comfort the girl, but she cannot think of a single thing to say. She looks over to see reddened skin on the girl’s bicep. She puts her hand over the bandage on her arm.

“Sorry, for acting weird. I didn’t know you were the Asami Sato.” Sanya breaks the silence. “What a way to introduce myself.”

“It’s all right. I’m just another girl.” She says with her head down. “Think of it this way, I’ll always remember how we met.” She tries to make the girl smile. 

Sanya stops before the last door on the right and shoots her a grin before opening it. “This your room.” She says as she steps in to switch on the lights. The wolf walks in and lies down on the lush white carpet between the door and the bed. “You get a view of the lake.” She forces a smile but keeps her eyes down. 

Asami walks into the room. A large bed covered in dark green sheets sits against the wall. It is sparsely furnished beyond the bed the night stand beside it. A large armoire looms in the right corner of the room, her bags sit beside it. The curtains are drawn back to reveal a picturesque view of the shimmering lake.

“The bathroom is next door, there’s another one by the kitchen. I’m across the hall, Pebble is next to me. Aunt Toph’s got the biggest room next to the bathroom and auntie’s is across from that. So, make yourself at home.” Sanya leans on the doorway. 

“Thanks.”

“Umm, I should be saying that to you. Thanks for getting me out of there earlier.” 

“Oh, yeah. It’s no problem.” 

“I think you should have this, you know, for your cut and all.” Sanya tosses her a roll of bandages. 

She catches it with a grin. “Thanks.”

“I’ll let you rest. Jet, let’s go.”

The wolf looks up and scurries out of the room. 

“He really likes you.”

She smiles, turns, and walks to the bed. 

“Good night.” Sanya makes her way out and closes the door.

“Night.” Asami sighs as she falls into the bed. 

She plays with the roll of bandages in her hand. Sighing, she sets it on the might stand and begins to unpack. Her first night in Ba Sing Se has worn her out. She wonders what tomorrow will bring. 

 

Asami spent the morning training in the home’s incredibly spacious backyard. Sanya and Jet sit by the water and watch, the water bender occasionally sending the girl a smile. She catches her breath, watching Lin rearrange the blocks of earth that have become her training dummies. She has gotten used to using Lin’s old metal bending cables. Before Lin can utter a word of instruction, her mother interrupts. 

“Something wrong, mother?” 

“Something’s always wrong. What are you two doing?” She asks. 

Asami steps back allows the mother and daughter to speak. She notices the earth bending legend is barefoot as she steps outside. 

“Mind if I take over?”

“Can you handle it?” 

“I taught you didn’t I? No problem.” Toph waves her daughter away. 

Lin shrugs.

“Don’t give me that look.”

“I wasn’t giving you a look!” 

“You are now.” Toph laughs. 

Asami snickers. 

“All right, kiddo. First off, take off your shoes.”

She obeys. She tosses her boots aside and tightens her ponytail. She looks up to find a pillar of stone rushing toward her. She jumps to the side, allowing it to pass. Releasing one of the cables in her right hand, she wraps it around the pillar. It falls to the ground. 

“Not bad, kiddo, not bad. You’d make a great Kyoshi warrior. But, you can be something more than that.”

“Be like you?” 

“Be like you.”

Her jaw drops at the older woman’s answer. Her words silence her thoughts. 

“Stand your ground. It attacks you, you attack it. Got that?”

The girl nods. 

“My style might be a bit outdated, but it gets things done.” Toph stomps one foot into the ground. 

A mountain of earth and stone rise from the ground. Sanya and Jet topple over from the shaking earth beneath them. Asami watches in awe as the master earth bender casually walks to the newly formed mountain and with one swift punch. Smaller rocks form a circle around the women. 

Toph steps out. “Stay in the circle.” 

The hot ground burns her feet, but she grits her teeth and digs her heels in harder. Out of the corner of her eye can see Sanya watching her. The ground beneath her shoots up, nearly knocking her over. She jumps off the newly forming tower of earth and releases her cables. She hardly makes a dent. Before her feet can touch the ground, another tower of stone rushes toward her. Chunks of earth fly toward her. She twists and turn, defending and attacking. The master earth bender stands a few yards away, arms crossed over her chest. She does not blink as she sends earth and stone to attack the girl in the circle. Asami is in awe. This woman can bend without moving a single muscle. 

The barrage of attacks is relentless. She does her best to stay in the circle, but exhaustion and inexperience knock her several feet out of the circle. Toph stops her attack. Asami gets to her feet as she catches her breath. She keeps her eye on Toph, not knowing what to expect. 

“Okay. Not bad, you can do better.” Her voice is indifferent.

Lin walks out and motions to her mother. “Mai and Chan are here.” 

Toph nods and makes her into the house. 

“Take a break, kid.” Lin says to Asami. “Sanya,” She yells in the direction of the lake. “You okay?” 

The water bender gives a thumbs up.

Lin follows her mother back into the house. Asami makes her way to the lake, wiping dirt and sweat off her face. Sanya sits in the shade of a tree, long white tendrils of flowers sway gently in the the breeze. She wears a white tank top and loose black pants tucked into white socks. Black cloth wraps itself around her calves, keeping her socks in places. Her hair is untied, white streaks frame her face, matching her arm sleeves. The water bender throws her boomerang and Jet runs off to try and catch it before it returns. 

“Hey. Is this seat taken?”  

“It’s been reserved for you.” Sanya greets her with a smirk. 

She takes a seat in the grass beneath the tree. 

Sanya hands her a glass of water. “I thought you might be thirsty.” She waves a finger over the glass, blocks of ice manifest before Asami’s eyes. 

“Thanks.” 

The wolf returns, boomerang in his mouth. Jet plops down beside Sanya and releases the boomerang. 

“Does it hurt him when he catches that?” 

“Not at all. I thought it would, but he seems to be fine. Though, I think grumps would be a bit mad that I use this as toy.” 

“It was your grandfather’s?” 

She nods. “He wasn’t a bender. According to him he took out a few badies with this thing.” She holds up the boomerang. 

“I read about him and your grandmother too.” 

Sanya raises an eyebrow. 

“I didn’t want to come here not knowing anything about anyone.”

The water bender giggles. “You could have just asked.”

She bites down on the glass, cold water hitting her lips. She wants to ask about the girl’s parents, but she knows how painful a topic that can be. 

“I’ve been dying to ask, how did you get your hair to do that?” She asks instead, her face reddening with embarrassment. 

The water bender chuckles. She moves hair out of her face. “I was actually born with a full head of black hair. Gran tells me the white started coming in when I was around two or three.”

“You were raised by your grandparents?” 

“Yes ma’am. Up until I was eight. Aunt Toph retired then and moved out of Republic City, so I came with her.”

She lowers her gaze. “You were eight when they,” She says in a low voice. 

There is a brief moment of silence. A sudden urge to physically comfort the girl makes her muscles twitch.

“Yeah, but that was eleven years ago. I’ve done my grieving. And Aunt Toph is great.” Sanya breaks the silence. 

“You never really stop missing them though.” Asami adds staring at her bare feet in the grass.

From the corner of her eye she can see Sanya reach out, trying to touch her. She stops short and pulls back. 

“I’m sorry. I know you’ve been through a lot, what with your dad and all.”

The girl forces a smile. She brings her knees up to her chin and hugs her legs. She cannot help but think about her parents. Memories sneak up on her, along with the emotions they carry. 

She looks up to find a ribbon of water dancing before her. It collapses into a pile before forming into a flower and freezing. She bites back a grin, but the urge is too strong. 

“Err, no wait. Flowers are too cliche. Unless you like flowers?”

“I love flowers. Thank you.” She shoots Sanya a grin. 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” 

The girls sit in silence for a moment. Asami feels as though the gentle breeze has swept away her memories. The flower before her begins to melt. 

“That’s the thing about ice. It’ll break and melt.” She bends the flower into a pile of ice chunks then into a puddle of water. “But it’s never lost. You can make something new.” She bends the water into a gem similar to those on Asami’s bracelets. “Kinda like a rock. I guess it’s just harder to do with a rock.”

The girl watches the water bender through the icy gem. Sanya tries to bite back a grin. She turns away when the grin overpowers her. 

“I know I already apologized, but-“

Asami holds up a hand. “Really, it’s fine. I’m used to people being a bit weird when they find out who I am.”

“I’ll try to be less weird. But really, all I do these days is sit around and be weird.”

The girls laugh. 

“You must be hungry. I’ll make you lunch. Err, I’ll help Pebble make you lunch.” Sanya rises to her feet and holds out her hand. 

Asami takes it and gets to her feet, dusting herself off. 

They walk side by side into the house, perfectly content in their silence. Jet runs between their legs and eagerly dashes to the kitchen. As the girls walk through the living room they overhear the Beifong women arguing. 

“Mother, I don’t think that’s possible.”

“She’s special Lin. You know it. I know it. If it can be taken, why can’t it be given?”

“And how exactly do you plan on getting this done? This is something completely different from unblocking it.”

“I don’t know. Just give me a chance to think about it.”

“It can’t be done, Ma.”

“Would you please have an open mind.”

Lin is silent. She looks up at the girls standing in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen. Asami does not think much of the argument. 

“I raised you better than that, Lin. If you’re gonna talk about someone, talk about them in their face.” 

“We’ll talk about it some other time.”

There is a stifling silence in the room. Lin turns away and stares out a window. Toph glares at her daughter. Asami stands near the doorway, unsure of what to say or do. 

“I guess you could say Aunt Toph and auntie have a… Rocky relationship right now.” Sanya laughs. 

Lin and her mother smack their palms into their heads. Asami giggles while hiding behind her hand. 

“Oh, forget you all. I’m hilarious!” Sanya throws her hands over her head and walks out of the room. 

“That child really is Sokka’s granddaughter.” Toph mutters through a grin. 

Asami watches Lin suppress her laughter and her mother teasing her. She then turns to see the water bender smiling at her from behind the kitchen counter. She cannot remember the last time she laughed like this. 

 

Asami put out off the visit to the Ba Sing Se factory for nearly a week. This morning’s visit did not bring much good news. Things may be better for the company here, but the difference is so slight it is hardly noticed. She does her best to forget by walking through the city. She hopes to lose herself in the crowd. Perhaps, then her problems cannot find her. 

“Hey kiddo, you look lost.” 

She is surprised to find Toph walking next to her. “I guess I am.” She says with downcast eyes.

“Come on, you look like you need a good cup of tea.”

She does not resist as the older woman takes her by the arm and drags her through the crowd. People stop and praise Toph, she merely smiles and continues on her way. She drags her into The Jasmine Dragon Tea Shop _._ Toph releases her arm and sits at a table near the door. Asami takes a moment to admire the beauty of the shop. Antique rugs adorned with dragons cover the floor, matching tapestries line the walls. Despite the busyness of the tea shop, Toph is served right away. 

“The usual Sifu Beifong?” A young male waiter asks. 

“Yep, and some sweet rolls.” She answers. 

“Why did you come here?”

“Err, you dragged me here.”

“I meant to Ba Sing Se.”

The girl takes a moment to think. To run away. To forget. To get away from the stain of Republic City.

“I don’t know. To visit the factory, I guess.” Her words are laced with uncertainty. 

Toph is silent. Asami drowns out the chattering of the busy shop. Her thoughts are scattered. 

“I wanted to get away from everything in Republic City. Everything reminds me of my father, of everything I lost. I wanted to forget.”

The earth bender nods. “Maybe, forgetting is not the best thing to do here.”

The waiter sets down a pot of tea, two cups, and a plate of sweet rolls on the table. The women are silent as he leaves. 

“Lin told me about your father.” Toph takes a sip of tea. “They think you’re like him?”

The girl nods. “They could be right. I’m his daughter. He even asked me to join him. What if I do end up like him?”

“You know, people assumed Linnora would be exactly like me. You can see she’s not. I never expected her to grow up to be just like me, I never wanted her to. I know what it’s like to be something other than what your parents want you to be. She’s Lin, but she doesn’t have to be a Beifong. That’s her choice. Like you, you’re Asami, but you don’t have to be a Sato.”

Asami allows the words to sink into her mind. She stares at the earth bender munching on a sweet roll. She thinks to hide the tears welling up in her eyes, but she is reminded that the woman sitting opposite of her is blind. 

“How? How do I get out of his shadow?” Asami whispers to herself. 

“Well, you can’t have a shadow without light. So, shine brighter. Drown out his light. I know you can do that.”

She did not intend for her question to be heard, but the answer is much appreciated. 

“I don’t really know what I’m talking about. I’m not Uncle Iroh.” Toph adds with a chuckle. 

Asami snickers and wipes away a stray tear. 

“You’re pretty special, kiddo.”

“Thanks. That means a lot coming from you.”

“Of course it does!”

They share a laugh. 

“But seriously though, you left the house wearing that?”

Asami looks down at her black top and matching skirt. “I think I look,“ she stops short and looks up. 

She is greeted by Toph’s toothy smile as the older woman waves her hand in front of her face. Her cloudy green eyes are brighter than usual. Asami cannot contain a laugh at her own expense. The Beifongs never once made her feel as though she were an outsider, for that she is thankful. 

“I have to ask though, you have a thing for Sanya don’t you?” 

The girl nearly chokes on her tea. “What?” Thoughts of the water bender fill her head. She notices herself grinning. “No, no. I mean she’s nice. I like her, but I don’t like, like her. I mean I don’t think I do.” She thinks of her past relationship, her grin turns into a frown. 

“I can tell when you’re lying.” The older woman smirks.

She wrings her hands and chews on her lip. She does not think she is ready to like someone again, let alone trust someone with her broken heart. 

Toph drops her sweet roll and looks up past Asami toward the door. “We have to go kiddo.”

“What?”

“Something’s not right, we have to go.” Toph says as she gets to her feet.

Asami digs through her purse to find money to pay for the tea, but she is waved away. 

“I never pay for anything here. Now, come on kiddo!” Toph drags her away again. 

They run out of the shop into the busy street. Toph turns to her left and walks toward an earth bending school. 

“What’s going on?” Asami asks as she follows. 

Before Toph can answer an all too familiar scene unfolds. Three large mechs burst out of a near by building and make their way down the street. People around them scream and run for cover. Bodies bump into Asami, but she she is frozen. Every mech coming toward them has the Future Industries logo. A gang of men in equalist masks appear at the mechs’ feet. A mixture of fear and anger paralyze her. The street clears of bystanders, leaving only Toph and Asami to face the mechs. 

A punch to the arm nearly knocks the heiress off her feet. “Stay focused kiddo. Let’s hope our girls are nearby.”

Asami grits her teeth and drops her purse, she does not need her equalist glove to deal with this problem. “Maybe you should sit this one out because,”

“Excuse me?” Toph responds with a raised eyebrow.

“Nothing, never mind.” Asami runs toward the nearest equalist. 

She dodges the glove and kick, but stands her ground. A swift punch to the stomach followed by an elbow to the back of the head knock her foe to the ground. She pauses to rip slits on either side of her skirt. Three more equalists attack her. She imagines them as the pillars of earth in Toph’s backyard. She dodges their batons, sweeping a leg under all three of them. They fall to the ground, but before thy can rise Asami knocks them out with quick fists. She turns to see Toph standing with her arms crossed in the middle of the street. She rips off her cloak and stomps her foot in the ground. Arms before her with her palms facing in, she stands at the ready. A swift punch send a tower of earth into one mech. A gentle tap of the foot sends the ground rumbling, a sphere of earth jumps up and into the second mech. It topples over. A another tower of earth sends it flying into the first mech. Behind Toph, a wave of water comes rushing down the street. A slab of earth rises behind Toph, slicing the river of water into two. Lin drops from a rooftop taking out four equalists in the process. 

Asami shakes the daze out of her head. Removing her shoes, her feet pound the hot earthen road as she attacks two more equalists in her path. Sanya comes gliding into Asami’s field of vision on a slab of ice. She wears a black leather jacket, a Water Tribe symbol made of clear blue tubes decorates the back. The tubes go down her arm and end at her wrist. She leaps off her make shift board and sends sharp pillars of ice into the last mech. As she lands she takes out two equalist thugs. Asami can see more equalists coming their way, along with one more mech. In one fluid movement, she takes out the last equalist in her way with a kick to the chin. 

The women regroup around Toph. Asami’s feet are muddied, her skirt torn and stained.  

“There are more coming.” Asami informs the group.

“Mom, are you all right?’

“I’m fine, you should be worried about those guys!” She points past the women. 

Sanya is silent as she watches the road absorb the wave of water she sent down the street. Asami can see the tubes on her jacket are filled with water. It mimics a metal bender’s cable uniform. She is impressed with the water bender’s ingenuity. 

“What’s the plan?” Sanya looks to Lin. 

“I’ll take out all of them!” Toph screams.

“Mother! For all we know they could be here for you. Asami, stay with my mother. Sanya, how much water did you put in the ground?”

“Let’s just say you’ll be getting a bill from water company again.” Sanys replies with a toothy grin. 

Lin glares at the water bender. 

“I am a grown woman Linnora! I don’t need a babysitter! No offense, kiddo.” 

“None taken ma’am. But we should get out of,” 

Before she can finish her sentence the mech hurls a ball of fire toward them. Walls of earth surround them as the ball of fire makes impact. Asami is knocked back by the explosion and hits her head on the stone wall. She sees Toph standing steady. The blast does not faze her. 

“Well, that’s new.” Asami says to herself as she rubs the back of her head. 

“Stay down.” Toph says. “I don’t want you passing out. You’re tall, I don’t think I can carry you back home.” She jokes. 

Asami obeys. Her head throbs and her vision momentarily blurs. She has underestimated these equalists. She wonders how many of Future Industries’ engineers are more loyal to her father than they are to the company. The walls fall back into the ground. She turns to see Lin and Sanya standing side by side, waiting for the mech to come closer. She squints and shields her eyes from sunlight with her hand. A familiar looking silhouette moves about inside the mech. She holds her breath, hoping her imagination is not running wild. A gaunt figure with glasses and a distinct mustache comes into view. Asami’s mouth drops. It cannot be him. 

“What are they doing?” Toph asks. 

The question surprises her. “Just standing there.” She replies in confusion. 

Toph is silent. She stomps her foot into the wet ground. Asami is still as she watches, unsure of what to do next. She turns to see Lin is also barefoot. Could they be talking through the earth? Asami wonders. 

Lin and Sanya both plant their feet firmly into the ground. Their movements are precise and identical. Mounds of wet earth takes out the equalists on foot. Sanya effortlessly transitions from an earth bending style into a form of water bending Asami has never seen before. She moves like a raging river one moment and an angry fire the next. Lin stands firm like a mountain. Water and earth attack the mech and remaining equalists. The mighty machine and its pawns fall with a loud crash. 

“Taking notes, kiddo? Those are my girls!” 

Before the dust can settle, Sanya and Lin rush over to Toph and Asami. 

“Are you all right?” Sanya gets on her knees to help Asami to her feet. 

“Yeah, just hit my head. I’m fine.” She stumbles. 

The water bender catches her by the waist. “I’m sure you are, but let me help you okay?” 

She doesn’t argue and slides her arm around Sanya’s neck and over her shoulder. Sanya’s grip on Asami’s waist is light, but strong enough to keep her steady. 

“Let’s go home ladies.” Toph says to her girls.

 

Asami sits on the large green couch holding a pouch of ice to her head. Jet lies next to her, resting his head on her lap. She finds petting the wolf comforting. Sanya stands nearby, arms folded across her chest. Toph sits beside Asami with her feet on the table. 

“They’re getting a lot more cocky. I don’t want a repeat of Republic City here.” Lin paces the room. 

“They wanted to take out the earth bending school. They’re getting stronger if they just attack in broad daylight like that.” Sanya adds. 

She knows Lin feels she failed in Republic City, Asami can understand her anxiety about this situation. The girl thinks about the man she saw in the mech. The man was too skinny to be her father, but that does not stop her mind from reaching a horrible conclusion. She thinks hitting her head might have played tricks on her mind. Was that man like the cat in the alley? Did she really see him? She decides to keep her mouth shut. She sighs and focuses her attention on the Beifong women. 

“I’ll sort out the damages with the city tomorrow.” Lin states. 

“You should call Chan and Mai.” Toph adds. 

Lin nods. 

“Hey,” Sanya whispers. “Are you all right?” 

Asami turns to see the water bender leaning toward her. She nods yes, trying her best to smile. Sanya lowers her gaze and leans back into the wall. 

“It’ll only get worse. And I know things are ten times worse for kiddo over here.” Toph motions to Asami. “We need to get serious.” She slams her fist into her palm.

“Mom, what are you thinking?” Lin stops pacing. 

Toph turns to Asami. “When you feel better, training will get a little more hardcore. Are you up for it?” She looks to Sanya. “Things’ll get harder for you too.” 

The water bender nods. “I know.” Her voice is low. 

Asami chews on her lip. She remembers taking Lin’s offer to train her, she had nothing to lose. Now, she has something to gain. Determination clenches her jaw.

“Okay, I’m up for it.” 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Asami finds herself in the stone circle once again. An army ofearthen soldiers rush to attack her. The past week has been grueling, each training session leaving her more tired than the last. Today, a mix of frustration and sheer determination keep her standing. All her life she had to prove something to others. Now, she must prove something to herself. No one else but herself. Nothing else exists outside of this circle. She twists her body to narrowly dodge an attack. She does her best to control the cables using only her hands. Her cables are caught by stone batons, pulling her closer to it. Her bare feet drag across gravely dirt, but she ignores the pain. Her feet are used to it. A sly grin appears on her face as she thinks about all the people who thought she was a fragile little princess. She allows the stone warrior to reel her in. She leaps into its chest, knocking it out of the circle. Pushing herself off its chest, she twists her body in mid air. Cables fly, kicks make contact, and dust fills the air. She focuses on nothing more than staying in that circle. 

The dust settles and Asami stands at the ready. Chunks of stone surround her, the remains of her earthen foes. She knows she is still in the circle, not one doubt crosses her mind. She is tense, waiting for another attack, but all is calm. She closes her eyes and stands completely still. She hears a rumbling to her left. It moves to her right. The rumbling gets louder as it nears, switching sides with each passing moment. She hears the earth beneath her. A tower of stone rises behind her, she is not surprised. She leaps to her left and wraps metal tendrils around the stone tower. With all her might, her legs push the tower to the ground. She lands softly in the center of the circle. 

“Good work, kiddo.” Toph walks into the circle with a canteen. 

The girl gives her a quick smile and takes the canteen. The cool water washes dirt out of her mouth andsoothes her dry throat. 

“Rest up tonight. We’re going on a little field trip tomorrow.”

“Where are we going?” Asami asks between sips. 

“To see my earth bending teachers.”

She pauses mid sip. “Weren’t you taught by badger moles?” 

“Someone bring Captain Obvious here a medal!” Toph laughs as she walks away from the circle. 

“I’m on it General Sarcasm.” Lin says loudly from near the house. 

Toph laughs, sending her daughter wordless praise. A smirk forces its way onto Lin’s face. 

Asami is still frozen in place, canteen still held up to her mouth. Her mind races to come up with a reason for why the earth bender would want to take her to see the badger moles. She races toward the home to find Lin nearby punching holes into a wall of steel. 

“Lin, can we talk?”

The woman sends the wall of metal flying behind her with a flick of the wrist. She wipes sweat off her brow and leans on the wall. 

“What’s up?”

“Your mother is taking me to the badger moles tomorrow. I don’t really understand what’s happening here.”

“My mother is insane.”

“I heard that!” Toph calls from somewhere in the house. “I’m taking that as a compliment!”

“Why is she doing this? I’m not a bender.”

“No, but she thinks you can be.”

The girl is dumbfounded. She knows it is possible to take bending away, but she did not think it was possible to give it. “But why?” 

Lin sighs. “Mother, do you want to explain or should I?” 

No response. 

Lin momentarily frowns before focusing on the girl. “That night I took you home, when I was barefoot, that was probably the closest I’ve been to you since we met. I picked something up, something I only sense in benders. Like a tiny rock just waiting to be a mountain. My mother sensed the same. She thinks the badger moles can help.” 

She falls onto the wall and slides down. Her bottom hits the ground a bit too hard. Her mind is a flurry of thoughts. She is not a bender. She is just another girl. She could never be a bender. If there was a chance Toph is right, could she handle being a bender? Did she even want to be one? 

“Hey, you all right?”

She is pulled out of her thoughts. Lin crouches next to her, hand on her shoulder. 

“I seem to ask you that a lot don’t I?” Lin tries to get the girl to smile. 

“I don’t know if I can… Or if I want to.” She says. 

Lin sits down next to the girl. “Do whatever you want.”

Asami chews on her lip. She already knows the earth bending style. She already knows she can fight without it. The thought of being a bender is crazy, but what does she have to lose?

“Look, if you don’t want to go you don’t have to.” Lin says softly.

She nods, still lost in thought. 

”I’ll leave you to think about it.” The metal bender rises to her feet.

“Did she take you there?”

“Yeah, when I was about your age. Mostly just to teach me how to fight in the dark.”

The girl gets to her feet. A familiar phrase repeats in her head. _‘I have nothing to lose.’_ She often finds herself fighting a foe she does not wish to see, what harm would it do to learn to fight with her eyes closed. 

“I’ll do it. I’ll go.” 

Lin pats her shoulder. “Get some rest kid, I have a feeling we’re walking there.”

 

She finds it difficult to sleep that night. Her body is fatigued from the day’s activities, but her mind refuses to rest. She tosses and turns, desperately searching for sleep. Asami settles on her back and lets out an exasperated sigh. The one night she would need to rest her mind is filled with unfinished thoughts. She groans and covers her eyes, pressing into them until she sees white. Throwing the blanket to the side and swinging her feet over the bed she looks out the window. A tell figure moves by the lake. Streams of water surround the figure as it takes a fighting stance. A striking flash of white hair catches the faint glint of a waning moon. 

Asami throws on her robe and makes her way outside. A cool breeze makes her clutch her robe a little tighter as she makes her way to the lake. Sanya bends water with smooth fluid movements. 

“Hey. I feel like I haven’t seen you in a while. No Jet tonight?” Asami greets the other girl as she stands behind her. 

Sanya shakes her head no. “He’s with Aunt Toph tonight. And I’ve been around. Were you looking for me?” Sanya jokes.

“Maybe.” The other girl plays along. 

They take a seat on the grass near the water. 

“Couldn’t sleep either?” Sanya asks with a warm grin.

She shakes her head no. “Aren’t you cold?” She motions to Sanya’s white arm sleeves, blue tank top, and matching pajama bottoms, craning her head slightly to get a peek of her tattoos. 

The water bender scoffs. “Water Tribe women don’t get cold that easily.” She sits up a little straighter. “Unfortunately, I’ve been living in Ba Sing Se for far too long. So, I might be a tiny bit cold.” 

The girl laughs. 

“When was the last time you visited the Water Tribes?”  

“About two years ago. We decided to pay Aunt Katara a visit down south. It was fun watching her argue with Aunt Toph.” 

“Did you get those done there?” She points to the other girl’s back with some embarrassment. “Sorry, I just couldn’t help but notice.”

“It’s all right. Yeah, I got the bottom bit finished then. The top half I had done the visit prior to that one. This was actually Aunt Toph’s idea, believe it or not.”

Asami chews n her lip, suppressing the urge to ask to see the elaborate tattoos.

Sanya looks at her with raised eyebrows. “Do you want to see?”

“Sure.” 

The water bender gets to her knees and turns her back to Asami. She lifts her shirt and holds it up. Intricately drawn lines intertwine and slither down her back. The top half is left covered by her chest wrap. She can see the bottom half of a crescent moon peeking out from under the wrap. Wisps of clouds travel down her back to an elaborately drawn sea. Waves and javelins of ice decorate the lower half of her back. The Water Tribe symbol sits atop a twisting spout of water. Two spears are crossed behind the spout of water. Ribbons of water wrap around her hips. Before she can pull back, Asami finds her finger grazing Sanya’s warm skin. The muscles in her back tense. 

“Sorry!” Asami quickly pulls back. 

“It’s all right. Your hands are cold.” Sanya snickers. 

The water bender turns to face her, still holding up her shirt. The ribbons of water flow down past the waistband of her pajama bottoms. Her thumb catches her waistband, pushing it down dangerously low. She reveals The ribbons of water coming down her hips, ending in wave on either side. She can feel blood rushing to her face as she catches herself staring. 

“That must’ve taken a long time to do.” Asami quickly looks away. 

Sanya sits on her heels. “Yeah, it did. Hurt a lot too.” 

“But it’s really beautiful.”

“Thanks.” She can see the other girl begin to blush. “Funny how that works. It’s like everything that’s beautiful has to hurt so much and take so long.” 

“I never thought of it that way before.” 

“Please feel free to let auntie know I say smart things sometimes.” 

The girl giggles. “And how did she feel about all that?” She points to Sanya’s back. 

“Same as Aunt Katara. She can be so motherly sometimes.” The water bender lets out a small laugh. 

“You don’t talk about your mother much.”

“Neither do you.” Sanya shoots her a warm smile. 

Asami is silent. She plays with her bracelet. She closes her eyes to try and remember her mother, but the images are blurry. 

“Do you want to go for a walk?” Sanya’s voice is soft as the breeze on her skin. 

Asami looks up to see the other girl already standing, hand reaching out for her. She takes her hand and gets to her feet. 

“I remember you said you liked flowers. So…” Sanya waves her hand before her as the slowly walk around the lake. 

The tendrils of flowers hanging down from trees form a canopy above them. The lilies on the ground twist and sway as the walk by. Asami’s eyes widen with wonder at the sight. 

“Was your mother a water bender?” Asami asks with fear in her voice. 

“I don’t know. I never met her. Aunt Toph told me she ran after I was born, leaving me with gran and grumps.” Sanya replies nonchalantly.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right. Grumps told me some ridiculous story that he and the moon spirit share some kind of special bond and that she gave me life. I didn’t believe him at first, he loved the cactus juice you see.”

The girls giggle. 

“After a while I started to believe him. Especially after Aunt Katara gave me this.” She continues as she pulls out her pendent from under her shirt. “Turns out it was true, but you can never be too sure with grumps.” A smile punctuates her sentence. 

“Is that why you look up at the moon a lot?”

“I think so. It’s kind of nice to think someone up there is looking out for you.”

Asami nods, looking up at the moon.  

They continue to walk around the lake, the canopy of flowers falling behind them as they pass. Asami watches Sanya walk beside her, scratching her bicep again. She thinks she might be making the girl nervous. 

“Sometimes I try to think about my mom, but it’s hard to see her face.”

Sanya stops and leans against a tree. She waves her arms again, causing the vines between them to part. Asami leans into a nearby tree. 

“It’s like I’m forgetting about her, I can’t see her face in my head anymore.”

“Did you like to do anything with her?”  

She is silent for a moment, searching the archives of her memory. “She loved to garden. She planted so many flowers in the backyard. I remember once I thought I would help by digging up tons of little holes where she could plant her flowers.” The memory causes her to bite back a grin. “I was covered in mud and dirt. She didn’t yell at me though. I remember her saying, ‘Sami! Don’t do that without my help!’ Then she started digging with me.” 

“Can you see her face now?” 

Her lips smile, but her eyes begin to weep. “Yeah, I can.” She fiddles with her bracelet, wiping a stray tear on her sleeve. “She gave me this bracelet that day. She told me it would remind me that I’ll never be alone.” She holds up her wrist. “The one in the center is me. The other were supposed to be her and my father.” She turns away from Sanya, trying her best to swallow the lump in her throat. 

“If I may ask, how did she… Err… Pass away?” Sanya’s scratching becomes more intense.

“A fire bender killed her when I was a little girl.” Her voice catches in her throat. “I grieved for a long, long time. I came to terms with it. But my father…” Her voice trails off. She grits her teeth and blinks away tears. “He just turned all the love he had into hate. And it just took over him. He’s not my father anymore. He’s someone else now. You know, I think I saw him that day the we were attacked. I don’t know if it was him or if I was just seeing things.” She clutches her robe tighter around her. “He left me alone with a failing company to run all because he thought his hate was more important.” She can no longer stop her tears from falling. “And the only friends I’ve been able to make just don’t feel like friends.” Her voice cracks. 

She has been holding all this in for so long, she did not realize it would hurt so much to let it out. From the corner of her eyes she sees Sanya behind her, arm raised as if to touch her. The water bender pulls back. 

She bangs her head into the tree. “I put up this act, like I’m made of stone. Like I don’t need anyone, but I don’t think I can do it alone anymore. But I have to, people keep leaving me. I feel so stupid for being like this when there are bigger things going on, but I’m just so tired.” 

Sanya puts her arm around her shoulder. Asami turns and wraps her arms around the other girl’s waist. She closes her eyes tightly, refusing to let her tears flow. Sanya’s soft heartbeat echoes in her ears. She can no longer prevent her tears from falling as the thought of her life outside of Sanya’s arms is a mess she feels she cannot clean up. The water bender tightens her embrace. Asami buries her face into Sanya’s shoulder, breathing in the scent of lavender and lilies. She allows herself to be held as her body becomes weak. She is suddenly tired. She has found the sleep she was so desperately seeking earlier that night. 

Sanya begins to loosen her grip, but keeps her hands on Asami’s shoulders. “I don’t think there’s anything I can say to make things better. But, you’re not alone. Not anymore. I can’t speak for my aunts, but I know them well enough to know that they’ll stick with you.” Sanya’s large blue eyes are sincere, a distinct red hue colors her cheeks. “I can’t promise things will be perfect, but I can promise to stand by you for as long as you’ll have me. I can promise to always make stupid jokes to make you laugh. I can promise to stick around. And I don’t expect you to trust me right away considering all that’s happened, but give me a chance? I promise I won’t let you down.” She holds out her pinky finger.

Asami wipes away tears as she lets out a giggle. “What’s this?”

“Well, when gran made grumps promise he wouldn’t buy more stuff she’d make him stick out his pinky finger. She’d stick out hers and wrap it around his and that was the promise. I never understood it actually.” 

“Is this a Water Tribe thing?” Asami wipes away her tears. A small laugh escapes her.

“I think it’s just our family.” 

She snickers as she takes the water bender’s pinky with her own. “You promise?”

“I promise.” 

They let go. 

“I should probably get back to bed, I have a long day tomorrow.” Asami wipes away the last of her tears. 

“I heard about that. Are you excited?” Sanya asks as they walk back to the house. 

“A little.”

The water bender rises an eyebrow. 

“Can you tell when I’m lying too?” 

She shrugs with a mischievous grin on her face. 

“I just don’t know if I want to be a bender.”

“Bender, non-bender. Either way I think I’d still trip all over myself just looking at you.”

Asami giggles. “Why? I’m just a girl. Just Asami.”

Sanya shakes her head no. “No one is ever just a person. Not really.” 

The girl nods. She agrees with the water bender. 

“You’ve been through so much. Any normal person would self destruct, but you still stay strong. Or try to anyway. You didn’t let hate and fear take over where love and trust should be and that’s really something. And you can still find it in your heart to laugh at some of the things I say. That’s amazing!” Sanya keeps her eyes down, but Asami can see her reddened cheeks. 

SHe finds herself beaming. She has not been like this in a long while. Her newfound happiness is soon replaced with the thought that this could not possibly last. 

The girls walk in silence. 

“Will you come with us?” 

“If you want me to.” Sanya keeps her eyes on the ground. 

“I’d like you to.”

“Than, I guess I should get some sleep too.” Sanya opens the door for Asami. 

They walk through the house and to the doors to their rooms. Sanya leans on her door, Asami does the same. 

“So, umm, I wanted to ask you if you would maybe,” Sanya begins fidget, avoiding eye contact. 

“Yes?” She crosses her arms with a mischievous grin on her face.

A cough causes both girls to look down the corridor. Toph stands just outside her room. She taps her foot on the floor, but says nothing. Jet pokes his head out beside Toph’s legs. 

“Right, well we should get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night.” Sanya says in a rush, bolting through her door and closing it quickly. 

Asami sighs with disappointment. Yet, a grin lingers on her lips. 

“You have a thing for her.” Toph teases. 

“Good night” Asami says as she walks into her room and shuts the door. 

“I can tell that you do!” Toph says loudly enough for Asami to hear. 

She takes a pillow and places it over her head, remembering what it was like to be in Sanya’s arms. She bites back a grin. But, that grin soon turns into a frown as she thinks about her past. She curses herself for assuming everyone is like her father and certain fire bender. 

 

The early morning sun warms Asami as she walks outside the outer ring of Ba Sing Se. She can longer see the stone walls of the city when she looks back. Nor can she see much in the distance beside the Beifong women. She fiddles with her bracelet, losing herself in her thoughts. 

“Hey, anyone walking here? Mind if I walk here?” Sanya asks as she walks beside Asami. 

She pretends to think hard about the question. “No. I wouldn’t mind at all.”

“Are you nervous?” Sanya plays with the straps of the pack she carries on her back. 

“Umm, no. Not really.”

The water bender smiles with a raised eyebrow.

“Okay, maybe I’m a little bit nervous.”

“Don’t be, you’re great.”

Asami blushes. “Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself.” She punches Sanya’s arm. 

The other girl rubs her arm and tries to hide the growing red hue on her face. “I’m just another girl. I’m no avatar!” 

“Oh, that’s right. You’ve met Korra.” 

“Oh yes I have.” She snickers, her eyes lowered with a hint of sadness. 

“How’d you two meet?”

The water bender keeps her eyes on her feet. “Aunt Katara went back to the South Pole to help with avatar stuff. Grumps let me go with her. We were still kids when we met, but she was… I mean she knew who she was and wasn’t afraid to let everyone know.”

“Sounds like she hasn’t changed much.” Asami snickers. 

“I guess not. I’d see her each time we visited the South Pole.” Sanya pauses and begins to scratch her bicep, biting her words. “I wanted so much to be like her.” 

Shock causes Asami to look at Sanya. The water bender’s arm begins to redden from all the scratching. 

“Why?” Asami could not help but ask. 

“She’s the golden child. The avatar. It was like she got everything she wanted. Everyone always talked about her, paid more attention to her. I wanted that.”

“I understand.” Memories of Republic City fill her mind. 

“I get it, she’s got a lot on her shoulders. Being the avatar and all.” She looks to Asami with a playful smile, trying to hide the sadness in her eyes. “I really did try to be her you know.”

“Did you really?” 

“I really did. Obviously, I’m not the avatar. But, I do okay with my fake earth bending and I can make lightning!” Her eyes light up. “Sort of.” The light is quickly extinguished.

“How?” Asami asks.

“Well, grumps likes to keep a bunch of books around. He thought he was some sort of scientist-inventor-detective or whatever. He was a character.”

Asami laughs. 

“I read in one of his books how wild lightning works. Lots of little water droplets hit and rub up against each other until electricity happens. So…” Her voice trails off. 

Sanya runs to patch of shrubs and bushes. She runs her hands over the plants. They turn brown and wilt. Sanya returns to her side, her hands running over a bubble of water. Her hands move faster. Soon the water breaks into smaller drops. Then, into even smaller droplets. She continues until the droplets are so small Asami cannot see them anymore. A small flash of lightning cracks in the cloud between Sanya’s hands. She drops her arms. Water seeps into the earth. She is out of breath, a drop of sweat rolls down her cheek. 

“That’s the best I can do.” Disappointment in her voice. 

“Hey, that’s great. I don’t know of any other water bander who can do that!” Asami is genuinely impressed. 

“Aunt ‘Zula was the only one who told me I could do that. Even Aunt Toph was a bit skeptical.”

“But you did it.”

She nods with embarrassment. “I’m still not as great as Korra.” She looks up, biting her lip. “I think I just wanted that sort of circle of people she has, you know?”

Asami’s eyes widen with realization as she nods her head. _‘Oh, I know all right.”_ She thinks to herself. She wants the same. 

“But, I guess I have that now.” Sanya looks ahead to the Beifong women. 

Asami’s mouth curls into a grin, but her eyes reveal her heartache. She wonders if she could ever have a group of people she can call family. 

“I mean, I didn’t get to spend much time with Aunt Katara, but Aunt ‘Zula made time for me. That was fun.” Sanya’s is lost in a memory. 

“Aunt ‘Zula?” 

“Oh, Sorry. Fire Princess Azula.”

She is in awe of the people Sanya calls family. People who are living legends, heroes she has only read about in books, infamous Fire Nation royalty, and they are all aunts, uncles, grandfathers. She plays with a thought in her head. If the woman who almost killed the avatar can become compassionate enough to gain Sanya’s affections, is there hope for her father?

“She and Aunt Ty never left me out. I actually really miss them.” She furrows her brow. “I’m so sorry. I just went on a rant.”

“No, no it’s all right. I like hearing about your family. Let’s me forget about mine.”

“Hey, sometimes the family we need isn’t the one we were born with.” She lightly punches Asami’s arm. “I mean, who would’ve thought I’d be Aunt ‘Zula’s favorite little peasant?”

The girls laugh. Her anxiety dissolves. For a moment she forgets why they are walking in the hot sun. 

The Beifongs stop and wait for the girls to catch up. 

“What are you two laughing about?” Lin asks. 

“Aunt ‘Zula.” Sanya responds innocently.

“I haven’t seen her crazy witch face in ages. Remind me to call her.” Toph adds. 

“Mother, you have never seen her face.”

“Oh yeah. Good.” Toph laughs.

Asami giggles as she watches Lin trying to suppress her laughter. The metal bender eventually gives in. 

“Hey, kiddo walk with me for a bit?” Toph says to Asami as her laughter dies down. 

The girl nods and follows the older woman. She looks back to see Sanya smiling at her. 

“You sure you want to do this?” Toph asks. 

“Yeah, I have nothing to lose.”

“Are you sure about that?”

She chews on her lip. She is not. “I don’t know.” She thinks of Bolin back in Republic City. She looks back to see a smiling Lin teasing Sanya. She looks down to see curious cloudy eyes, waiting for her answer. She looks down at her bracelet, her mother’s voice echoes in her head. 

“Come here kiddo.” Toph motions her follow her. She walks to the edge of small bluff. “Look down there.” She points down. 

A small river runs through a rock formation. Layers of differently pigmented sediment can be seen on the smooth surface of the rock. Layers of light browns, soft tans, and deep reds run though a single stone. A thin stream of waterruns between large boulders. 

“You really are made of rock. Not easy to break, so don’t think you’re broken. Stubborn, but for the right reasons. But despite all that… Look how that little bit of water shaped those big ol’ rocks.” 

Asmi bites her lip, trying hard not to grin. She does not need to look back to see Sanya, images of her run through her mind. 

“Two kids from the South Pole did that to me. I’d be miserable if it weren’t for Sugar Queen and the goof of a brother of hers. Not mention that one.” She throws her thumb behind her. 

“You took me here to set me up with Sanya?” Asami jokes. 

“Well, doesn’t hurt to try. Give me some credit, it took me all morning to think of that!”

They share a laugh. 

“Seriously though, what you’ll have to do today won’t be easy. You’ll want to give up. I just hope you don’t. Whatever happens… I don’t know. I hope I’ve helped.”

She is struck by a sudden wave of emotion. Guilt fills her as she thinks of all the Beifongs have done for her. “Of course you have. More than anyone has since… Since things started to fall apart.”

“Look, I don’t do well with all this emotional, mushy stuff. But, I know what it’s like to feel like I didn’t have a family. I tried to do my best for Lin, but I know she wonders what it would’ve been like to have a father. And you, all that happened to you just plain sucks. Lin and I can’t be your new mom and dad, but we’ll be here for you.” Toph begins to walk along the edge of the bluff, motioning for Lin and Sanya to begin walking as well. 

Asami follows, her words still echoing in her mind. She does the only thing she can think to do and throws a punch into Toph’s arm. The older woman returns the gesture with a grin. The girl smiles as well, but she cannot help but wonder about Lin’s father. 

“You want to ask about Linnora’s father?” Toph says suddenly. 

“Oh, no. I was just wondering about,” 

“You’re lying.” Toph’s voice is playful. “Sorry to disappoint, kiddo. She didn’t have one. Like Sanya.” 

She is momentarily confused, but decides it is not worth the confusion. 

“For what it’s worth, I think you did an excellent job raising her.”

“Yeah I did, didn’t I?”

They laugh together. 

“Tell me, does she look like me? People say she kind of does.” Toph says softly. 

“Yeah, she does. She has your eyes.” She pauses, thinking of a way to describe Lin’s green eyes to someone who has never seen a color. “Eyes like… Feeling the perfect patch of grass between your toes. Like a hot cup of perfectly brewed jasmine tea. Or the first bite of a freshly picked pepper.” 

Toph’s mouth curls into a small grin. Tears begin to form in her eyes as though her cloudy eyes are finally ready to release their rain. 

“I knew I was right about you.” Toph begins to say. “You’ll be fine, kiddo.” Toph stops at the edge of the bluff. 

Lin and Sanya join them. Asami shoots the water bender a smile before looking down. A lone rock formation sits in a sea of stone and earth. It’s jagged edges cast uneven shadows on the ground. Toph slides her foot forward. A stone ramp slides out before them. Toph makes her way down, followed by Asami and Lin. Sanya stumbles down the ramp, tripping on herself at the bottom. 

“I’m okay!” She says loudly as she gets to her feet. “In case anyone was wondering!”

“It’s amazing, isn’t it? You see her fight, then you see this. You wonder how it’s the same person.” Lin jokes. 

Toph holds out her hands and punches the air. A slab of stone slides away from the face of the rock formation revealing a hole of pure darkness. 

“Listen up kid, I had to do this when I was around your age. But, it’ll be harder for you.” Lin turns to Asami.

“Because I’m not an earth bender?” Her eyes stay low, hiding her disappointment. 

“Exactly. That’s not a bad thing. You’ll be scared and confused, but mostly frustrated. Just keep at it.” 

“Yes, chief.” 

Lin pats her shoulder and turns away. 

“Keep going until you find a sort of clearing. Then stop, wait, and listen. You’ll know when to leave. Got that?” Toph explains. 

Asami nods as she feels her nerves tensing up again. Fear rising in her makes her fidgety. 

“Don’t be scared kiddo, there is nothing down there or up here you can’t handle.” 

She removes her shoes and her jacket. She picks up bits of rock on the ground and throws them into her jacket, creating a pouch. She looks around to find a shrub growing from the side of the rock formations. She runs to it and takes handfuls of long dried leaves, twists them together, ties the ends and hits the face of a boulder. She looks up to see a smiling Toph and a curious Lin. Behind them she sees Sanya standing with her hand on her bicep, looking as nervous as she feels. She drops her makeshift pouch and stick and hurries to Sanya, throwing her arms around the other girl’s neck. 

“I’ll be fine.” She whispers in Sanya’s ear. 

“I know.” The water bender responds.  

Asami releases her grip. She gives Sanya a quick kiss on the cheek before quickly turning and retrieving her pouch of rocks. She knows she has left the girl’s face burning red. 

“Lin, what happened? Sanya’s heartbeat is going crazy.” 

“Nothing mother, they hugged and Sanya got a kiss on the cheek.”

Toph begins to laugh. Her cackling leaves her hunched over. Asami cannot help but giggle herself as she enters the mouth of the cave. She looks back one last time before advancing into the blackness of the cave. A smiling Lin gives her a nod. Toph’s toothy smile gives her an ounce of confidence while Sanya’s warm grin gives her an ounce of comfort. She takes a deep breath and moves forward. 

As she walks down the cave’s slight decline, the light from the outside slowly fades. The air becomes heavier. She takes a rock from her makeshift pouch and tosses it a few feet forward. The sound of rock hitting rock echo throughout the cave. She moves forward. The darkness begins to play with her mind, she can feel herself beginning to panic. Asami reaches out her hand and feels for the cave wall. She slinks down to the floor and closes her eyes, inhaling and exhaling deeply. She thinks of the people waiting for her. She thinks of all they have done for her. She thinks of her mother’s smile that day she gave her the bracelet. She gets to her feet and continues to walk, throwing a rock with every few steps. Jagges shards of stone cut her feet while pebbles bruise her. She ignores her screaming feet and presses forward.

She does not know how much time has passed as she walks deeper into the cave. The ground has leveled, or so she thinks it has. 

She hears the plop of a rock falling into water. She stops, reaching out her right hand to feel for the cave wall. Inching her way forward, her toes feel wetness. She throws another rock to her left. Asami hears it hit the cave wall and fall into the water. She chews her lip, thinking of a way to get across. 

“You can do this, Asami. Just think.” She says aloud. Her voice echoes in the darkness.

She takes her stick and slowly lowers it into the water. She is shoulder deep into the water and her stick has yet to reach the bottom. Something deep in the water takes hold of her stick. She releases it quickly and backs away. 

“Okay. New plan.” She knows better than to swim across.

She shakes her arm dry. She tosses another rock. _Plop_. Another. _Plop_. She can hear bubbles popping on the surface of the water. She tosses one more rock. _Clank_. 

“Right, that didn’t help at all. Good job, Asami.” 

She stands still, staring at the darkness and hoping for an answer. She drops all the stones in her jacket. She counts her steps backward, exactly ten steps. She turns and runs, counting each step. She grunts as she leaps off the ground, careful to keep her head down. Her forefoot touches dry land, while her back foot touches slimy flesh. She lets herself fall to her knees as she crawls to the cave wall, adrenaline coursing through her veins. 

“Get it together. You can’t quit now.” 

Taking a moment to calm her beating heart, she stands and continues. Her aching hand repeatedly hits the cave wall. She thinks she must be leaving a trail of blood behind her. The sound is faint, but enough to give her something in which she may focus her scattered mind. She keeps walking despite her aching knees and battered feet. Thoughts of all the people she has left behind linger in her mind. They are all the people she wishes could walk with her through this darkness. A memory of her mother comes to mind. She sits at their kitchen with a cup of tea, staring out a window. A sad smile on her face. A younger version of herself runs into the room and clutches her mother’s legs. She takes a young Asami in her arms and sits her atop the counter. Her mouth moves, a young Asami smiles. She cannot remember the words her mother uttered that day. Memories of Lin and Toph teasing each other make her giggle. She thinks perhaps she and her mother would have a similar relationship. She thinks of Sanya. Hearing her voice in her head and remembering her embrace, her grin widens. She does not know why she is so afraid of admitting she might have feelings for the water bender. 

She smiles to herself, as she picks up her pace. Her fist hits the cave wall harder, causing a louder echo. Her hand tingles with pain, but she ignores it. She closes her eyes and continues to walk, losing any sense of time she held onto when she first stepped into this cave. She punches the cave wall again. The echo sounds different, she cannot understand why, but it is different. She takes five steps forward and slaps the wall. The echo is definitely different. She hesitates to walk away from the wall as she extends her other hand to reach for the opposite wall. Her fingers only meet air. She must have reached the clearing. She moves away from the wall and inches forward. She sits down on the cold cave floor, legs crossed and back straight she waits. 

The motor in her mind begins to rev. A hurricane of thoughts assault her. She thought she has conquered the heavy darkness, but the deafening silence begins its attack. She inhales and exhales deeply, stale cave air filling her lungs. She focuses on her breathing, clenching and releasing her fists in the process. The storm in her mind begins to dissipate. Her body relaxes. She waits and listens. 

She does not know how long she has been sitting in that spot. Her legs begin to tingle and her bottom becomes sore, but she refuses to move. The memory of her mother in their kitchen pops up again. She focuses on her mother’s face as she looks out the window. She is sad. Asami never noticed this before. She runs to her mother and clutches her legs. She was crying. How could she forget that she was crying. Her mother picks her up and places her on the counter, making funny faces and silly noises. Her younger self smiles. ‘ _Don’t cry darling. It’s okay, of course I still love you._ ’ Asami furrows her brow, concentrating on her memory. Her younger self looks down and retrieves a broken pearl necklace. ‘ _Love is more than a necklace ‘Sami. It’s the best thing you have._ ’ She feels a tear stream down her cheek. Her mother did not mention that it can break everything as well. 

She hears a soft shuffling behind her. She does not move. The shuffling becomes louder, sounding as though it is coming closer to her. Rocks fall behind her. Every muscle in her body is ready to run, but she does not move. A sharp rush of air rustles her hair. Sleek fur brushes against her arm. She shivers, but she keeps her fear from growing. The creature shuffles before her, the sound of rock grinding against rock comes from somewhere above her. Slivers of sunlight hit the cave floor. She squints at the sudden exposure to light, albeit a small amount of it. A large badger mole sits a few yards to her left. She knows they are blind. The creature illuminated the cave for her. As her eyes adjust, she sees the creature clearly. It moves its head to face her. Asami is frozen. The creature stops shuffling. She closes her eyes and focuses on her breathing again. She thinks she hears a whisper carried in the wind near her, but the sound does not seem to come from anywhere in the cave. She focuses on the silence, hoping to hear it again. Hoping she has not lost her mind in this darkness. She hears the whisper again, not in the cave but in her head. The badger mole shuffles near her before becoming still. She leans back, resting her body weight on her hands. She hears the whisper again, a disembodied voice carried by the earth. _Follow._

She sits up straight, her eyes on the badger mole. Its glossy silver eyes look in her direction. She hears it again, louder this time. _Follow._

She gets on her hands and knees, crawling toward the massive beast. She looks down at her dirty hands. Half a year ago her nails were always professionally done, decorated with the finest paints. Now, they are covered in dirt with mud under her chipped fingernails. Bloodied and bruised, these are her hands now. She shakes the thought out of her head as she follows the badger mole through a newly formed tunnel. _Listen only._ She hears the disembodied voice again. She closes her eyes and keeps her head down, following the shuffling of the badger mole. She is no longer afraid. She is no longer anxious. She is calm. 

Asami follows the beast through winding tunnels, going up and down. Occasionally it will create a new path, causing bits of earth and stone to fall down on her. But she does not mind. The skin on her palms burn as raw skin hits hard ground. Her knees ache. The fabric over them is long gone as her bare bruised skin is exposed to gravel. She crawls in a daze now, her exhaustion getting the best of her. The pain becomes unbearable, tears stream down her dirty face. She thinks she hears her mother’s voice. _Don’t cry darling. I still love you._ ’She cannot stop her tears from flowing. _Remember, ‘Sami. It’s the best thing you have_. Her mother’s voice repeats.

She cries silently as she follows the beast. 

_Mom, I don’t have it anymore._ The thinks to herself. 

_My darling, you will always have it. It may hide and be harder to find, but it is never lost._ Her mother’s voice responds. 

She suppresses her sobs. _How?_ She asks, not knowing if she has completely lost her mind in the darkness or if this is really happening.

_You will always have my love, ‘Sami. Do not forget. Do not let it turn into hate._

_Like dad did?_

_Yes. Please, ‘Sami do not lose the love in your heart._

_Mom, I need you. It’s too hard. I can’t do it by myself._

_My darling, you are not alone. You will never be alone. I am sorry I left you so soon. I hope you still carry my memory with you._

She wipes tears from her face, knowing that mud has caked on her cheeks. _I love you mom._

No response. 

She sobs, but quickly collects herself. She exhales and continues to crawl. 

The beast stops shuffling. She stops and looks up to find it facing her. It blows air into her face, its wet nose touches her forehead. It moves aside. _Go._ Asami does not understand, but she crawls forward. She feels a soft breeze on her face. A large boulder stands between her and her way out of this cave. She looks back to see the badger mole sitting motionless. She takes a deep breath and puts all her weight into pushing the boulder. She can feel it slowly moving, stone grinding against stone. With one last push and a horse grunt she throws herself at the boulder, pushing it with all her might. It is all a blur as she falls to the ground. Fresh, cool air dries her sweat and tears. 

“Aunt Toph! She’s back!” She hears Sanya scream in the distance. 

She looks up, her eyes adjusting to the early night sky. The edges of her vision are blurred. Her throat is scratchy and her mouth is dry. She spits out mud and dirt. She tries to stand, but finds her exhaustion getting the better of her. 

“Hey, kid. Don’t try to get up yet.” Lin’s voice reaches her ears. 

Dirt and dust sting in her eyes as she tries to brush them clean, but she finds her hands are too covered in dirt to do much good. She collapses, but strong arms catch her. The familiar scent of lavender and lilies fills her. She opens her eyes to see a smiling Sanya holding a canteen. She takes the canteen to her lips and gulps down water. It has never tasted so good. Water runs down her chin and soaks into her stained shirt. Lin and Toph stand over her, pride and relief on their faces. Sanya bends the water spilling onto Asami’s shirt and uses it to wipe dirt off her face. 

“You did good kiddo. You did good.” Toph kneels ad pats Asami’s leg. 

The empty canteen tumbles out of her battered hands. Her fatigue is overwhelming, she does not have the strength to respond. 

“I’ll carry her back.” She hears Sanya’s fuzzy voice.

“Sanya, it’s a long way back home.” Lin protests. 

“I don’t care. I’ll carry her back. Can you carry the pack please?” The water bender responds. 

Asami does her best to keep her eyes open, but they feel as though they are made of iron. She holds up a bloody hand to Sanya’s face. The water bender takes it and gives her a smile. 

“I’ll heal her.” Sanya’s voice has become distorted and almost otherworldly. 

“No!” A simultaneous response from the Beifongs. 

“I will heal her.” Sanya’s voice repeats. 

She feels herself being carried. She opens her eyes one last time to see Sanya’s blood stained face. 

The world goes black. 

 

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

She wakes with a sharp inhale. Her body bolts up. Her head protest the sudden movement. But the dizziness fades. Jet sits at the foot of her bed, watching her with eager eyes. He makes his way to her and greets her with a wet tongue.

“Glad to see you too, buddy.” She mutters as the wolf settles in beside her. 

Rays of the setting sun peek through her curtains. She is back in her room. Memories of the day before flash in her head. She looks down to see herself in a clean blue shirt and matching shorts. Her hair is undone and smells of citrus, patches of it are still wet. Her hands are covered in bandages, bandages adorned with sky bisons. Asami slowly brings her legs out from under the blanket to find her knees and feet are covered with the sky bison bandages as well. She peels back all the bandages to find reddened skin. Her wounds are completely healed. She looks to her window to find a sleeping Sanya on a small armchair. She wears the same dark blue sleeveless top and black pants she wore the day before. Her arm sleeves are stained with dirt, a bloody handprint stains the left one. The water bender’s body contorts to fit in the chair, her back facing Asami. She wants to wake her up, to tell her she is okay. But, she decides to let the girl sleep. 

Asami runs her hands through Jet’s fur, doing her best to process the events of the day before. She focuses on the stone floor, wondering if Toph’s plan worked. The door opens. Her concentration is broken. 

“Hey, kiddo. How are you feeling?” Toph walks in with a glass of water. 

“Pretty good actually.” 

She expected much worse. 

Toph hands her the glass and sits at the foot of her bed. Jet wastes no time greeting the old earth bender. 

“I don’t think it worked though.” Asami lowers her gaze and takes a sip. She had no idea how great her thirst had become until water hits her tongue. 

“Sure it did. You came out of that stronger than when you went in. Considering how much you don’t like going underground, I’d say that’s something.”

“I can’t earth bend.”

“Never bothered you before.”  

“But, it didn’t work.” 

“I never really expected it to work. Badger moles are great, but not that great. I don’t know what happened down there and you don’t have to tell me. I know you came out a little bit stronger though.”

The girl smiles, taking another sip of water. 

“She really did carry you all the way back.” Toph throws her head over to her sleeping niece. 

She watches Sanya’s back rise and fall with each breath. 

“She’s been out almost as long as you. Knocked out right after she fixed you up. Hasn’t left your side since.” Toph continues. “Even this one left a few times.” She scratches Jet’s head.

“She must’ve been exhausted.” She says mostly to herself, staring into the glass of water. 

Sanya shifts. Her long legs are draped over the armrest, bare feet nearly touch the floor. Her hair, like a silky blanket, covers her shoulders as she lies face up in the armchair. The sight brings a grin to Asami’s face.  

“Be careful with her.” Toph adds.

Her smile fades, her full attention on the woman at the foot of her bed. Uncertainty fills her mind as she watches the earth bender. 

“She’s been hurt enough and I know you’re hurting too, but she’s my granddaughter.”

“Aunt Toph,” Asami stops herself, her eyes wide with shock. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I’m just used to hearing it from Sanya.”

Toph waves away the apology. “You can call me that too. I’m surprised it took you this long.” She grins. “Now, you were saying?”

She nods. “Aunt Toph, did you know her mother?” The words leave her mouth before her brain can process the thought.

“I did. Yue and Lin were very close. She took off after Sanya was born. We tried to find her, but she didn’t want to be found.”

The girl fiddles with her bracelet, wanting nothing more than to hug Sanya. Though, it would be more for her comfort. 

“I promised Sokka and Suki I’d take care of her if anything happened to them.”

“And something happened.” She thinks of her mother.

Toph lowers her head. “There were Fire Nation supremacists. They ran them off the road. They wanted them dead. They fought, took them hostage for a bit too. I was lucky, Azula and Ty Lee happened to be visiting. We tried to negotiate, but Sokka and Suki refused. They just wanted to get Sanya out. We managed to get the kid out, but,” Her voice cracks. “We were too late for Sokka and Suki. Azula lost it and took them all out.”  

She nods with wet eyes. She feels the familiar coldness of melancholy creep up her spine. A tear drops from Toph’s cheek. Jet whines and comforts her by licking her hand. 

“They didn’t even want anything.” Toph says mostly to herself. “Just one sick game to them.”

“Thank you for telling me.” Asami’s voice shakes. She can only imagine the type of pain Sanya must carry. 

“I like you kiddo, but I will break your legs if you break her heart.” Her voice as unyielding as stone. 

She freezes, unsure of what to say or do. The last thing she wants to do is hurt the water bender, or anyone in this family for that matter. 

“If she breaks your heart, I’ll break her legs.” Tophlets out a small laugh. “You’ve had your heart broken before.”

“Did Lin tell you?” Her shoulders drop.

“No. You did, just now.” A victorious grin appears on Toph’s face. 

The girl exhales with a snicker, hiding her face in her hand. She wipes away her tears. 

“Can I ask what happened?”

She shrugs. “He tossed me aside like an apple core. For the avatar.”

Toph nods. “Why do people throw away apple cores?”

Her brow furrows, revealing her confusion. “Because they’ve eaten all the good bits and don’t want the seeds?” 

“Hmm. But those seeds, they just need a little dirt and water to grow into a beautiful tree.”

Asami grins, mulling over the older woman’s words. 

“Man, I’m good. Uncle Iroh would have been proud of that one.” The earth bender says with a toothy grin. “I think it’s time for her to wake up.” The older woman snickers.

The woman gets to her feet and takes the glass from Asami. Two pillars of stone rise beneath the armchair’s back legs. Sanya spills onto the floor as the pillars sink back into place. 

“Auntie, I can explain. I didn’t,” The water bender’s words slur together. 

Toph and Asami can’t help but laugh. Sanya moves disheveled hair out of her face as Jet greets her with a head butt. 

“I wasn’t even accusing you of anything!” Toph laughs. “I think you two need some time alone.” She walks out of the room, motioning for the wolf to follow. 

The water bender gets to her feet and stretches. Asami can hear the bones in her back crack. 

“Hey. How are you feeling?” Sanya stays near the window. 

“I’m all right.” She wipes her eyes dry. “Better than expected actually.” 

She raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”

Asami nods. “Thank you for taking care of me.” 

“Oh, it was nothing really. Think of it as my way of thanking you for getting me out of that cell.” The water bender plays with her hair as she looks at her feet. “Sorry about the clothes, I didn’t want to go through your stuff so I gave auntie my clothes to put on you.”

She cocks her head to the side. 

“Oh, umm auntie cleaned you up and stuff. I didn’t want to help with that. Not because I didn’t want to help you! I just thought it would be rude.” Sanya’s face reddens. 

The heiress giggles. A feeling of warmth replaces sorrow in her chest. “I think your clothes look pretty good on me.” She jokes. 

“You can look good covered in dirt. I think you’d look good in anything.” 

“I bet you say that to all the girls.”

“Oh yeah, I do. You caught me. They’re just lined up to have a chance to go out with me.” Sanya pulls back the curtains and points outside. 

Jet digs a hole several meters away from the window. The wolf looks up and momentarily makes eye contact with them before resuming his digging. The girls laugh. She watches the water bender stand near the window, scratching her bicep. She can see the healed wounds on her arm. 

“Sanya, why do you do that?” Asami scoots to the edge of the bed nearest to Sanya. 

The other girl stops her scratching. “Habit. I guess.” Shame reddens her face and lowers her voice. 

She gets to her feet and walks to Sanya. She takes the other girl’s hand and holds it tightly with both of her own. The girl is frozen. Her sapphire eyes are large, searching Asami’s face for an explanation. She only smiles. Her lips try to hide her grief. Sanya backs away, but keeps her hand in Asami’s. 

“Something wrong?”  

“Well, it’s just, I haven’t washed up since we came back. I’ve been in that chair the whole time.” 

“Why? You didn’t have to.”

“I know. I wanted to. You could’ve woken up from a nightmare or something.”

Asami imagines the sort of nightmares she must have. She imagines a young Sanya running to one of her aunts in the middle of the night, tears in her eyes, crying over a bad dream. 

“You mumbled some things about your mother while I was fixing you up. I thought you might have some bad dreams about her, so I stayed.” The water bender continues. 

“That was very sweet of you.” Asami squeezes her hand. 

The water bender blushes. 

She pulls Sanya to her, throwing her arms around the other girl’s neck. Sanya gasps in surprise, but allows herself to fall into the embrace. The water bender’s grip on Asami’s waist is light at first, unsure of where to put her hands. But, once they find their place they leave traces of questioning affection. 

“Umm, I was wondering if,” Sanya begins as the girls pull away. “If you would maybe like to…”

Asami stands with her hands on her hips, imitating Lin’s commanding posture. 

“Do an activity with me… Sometime?” 

She cannot suppress her laughter. 

Sanya’s brow furrows as she puts her palm to her head. 

The girl wastes no time. She takes the water bender by the shirt and pulls her close. She presses her lips against Sanya’s. She does not care about anything in else in the world but the girl she is kissing. Sanya returns the kiss just as Asami begins to pull away. For a moment, she forgets anything exists outside the walls of her room. She exhales between kisses, as if she exhales the weight of loneliness in her. Her taste fills her mouth, she savors it. She can feel herself smiling as he water bender’s kisses outline her lips. The girls pull away. 

“When I said activity, I meant like dinner. But, you know that works too.” Sanya says through a beaming smile, her eyes glued to Asami’s mouth. 

“Did you not like that?” She teases. 

Sanya feigns uncertainty. “I think I need to try it again just to make sure.” 

Asami takes Sanya’s face in her hands and kisses her again. She feels a warmth run through her body, a warmth she never wants to lose. For the first time in a long time she thinks she will be okay. All this from a kiss. 

A knock at the door breaks them apart. Sanya stands perfectly straight, hands behind her back. 

Asami turns to the door. “Come in.” 

Lin pokes her head in through the door, suspicious eyes inspecting the girls. “Dinner’s ready.”  

The girls do their best to give the chief innocent smiles. 

“That doesn’t work with me. Your heartbeats are through the roof.” 

Asami giggles. 

“Right, so dinner? Sounds good. I’m just going to wash up.” Sanya rushes out of the room past Lin. She takes one look back and smiles. 

“I see you’re doing well.” Lin says. 

“I am.” Asami manages to say through a grin. 

“Good, you should eat up tonight.”

“Would be all right if I made a phone call first?” Asami asks. 

Lin nods before walking away, leaving the door slightly ajar. 

She walks to the living room, eying the phone in the corner. She picks it up and dials the number to the Sato mansion hoping Bolin will pick up. 

“Sato residence, Mako speaking.”

Asami’s posture drops along with her mood. She has not told Sanya about him. “Hey, it’s Asami. Is Bolin around?” 

“Umm, yeah I think so.”

“Can I talk to him?”

“Yeah, sure.”

There is a moment of silence.

“Are you okay over there?” Mako asks. 

“Yeah, thanks for asking.” 

“Right, I’ll get Bolin.”

She sighs and rolls her eyes, but no anger or sadness fill her today. For that she is grateful. 

“Asami! It’s about time!” Bolin yells into the phone.

She cannot help but smile. “Hey, Bo. How are you?”

“Good, good. Everything’s all good over here. No crazy parties or anything.”

“Right.” She draws out the word. “Just try not to get too crazy.”

“I’m good boy! How are things over there?”

“Fine. I’ve just been really busy.” She wonders if she should tell him that the company would not be able to sponsor the Fire Ferrets anymore, but she does not want to break the boy’s heart tonight. 

“Will you be coming back soon?” 

“I don’t know.” She rubs her forehead with her hands, thinking of the people living with her in this house. She is not sure she would like to go back.

“Oh, okay. Team avatar isn’t the same without you. None of us know how to drive!” 

She laughs. “I’ll let you know when I’ll be back, Bo. I promise. How are things over there?”

“Nothing much going on over here. Mako doesn’t seem to want to hang out anymore. Funny thing, I’m friends with Tahno now. He really chilled out after that whole Amon thing.”

“Oh,” Genuine surprise in her voice. “That’s pretty cool.” 

Sanya walks into the room, hair still wet from her shower. She wears a similar set of clothes as Asami, in white. She beams as the water bender winks at her. She returns the gesture.

“What about you? Made any new friends over there?” 

She watches Sanya walk out of the room, staring at her tattoos through her shirt. “Umm, yeah. I made a couple.” 

“I bet they’ll miss you when you come back.” 

Her grin disappears as a frown takes its place. “Yeah, maybe.” She cannot imagine leaving this house now. 

“But we’ll be glad to have you back! Team avatar will be complete once again!” His enthusiasm roars. 

She gives him a fake laugh. “Yeah. Well, I have to go. The chief is getting impatient. I’ll talk to you soon okay? Take care Bo.”

Bolin says his goodbyes before she hangs up. 

She walks into the dining area. Pebble wears his small apron as he carries dishes to the table from the kitchen. Lin sits at one end of the table, her mother taking her place at the opposite end. Lin tries her best to suppress a smile as she mother teases her. Sanya sits with her legs crossed on the chair near an empty seat, adjacent of Lin. She perks up at the site of Asami. Pebble takes the seat next to her after he places a basket of bread rolls on the table. Sanya slouches, her mouth curls into a pout. Asami smiles and takes a seat opposite the water bender. Jet whines as he circles the table, hoping for a scrap of food. Pebble sates the wolf with a large bowl of raw meat placed on the floor near the entrance to the kitchen. 

They rarely ate dinner together. Each one of them would eat when they were hungry, occasionally eating with another. She did not know why they decided to eat together tonight. 

“What’s the occasion?” Asami asks as Pebble hands her the basket of bread rolls. 

“You.” Toph replies with a mouth full of noodles. 

She is dumbfounded. “What?” Her eyes dart from Toph to Lin to Sanya. 

“I know you think you might’ve failed down there, that it didn’t work. But you did really good kid. Just thought we’d do something nice for you.” Lin says. 

“Plus, it gave me an excuse to try out these new recipes.” Pebble adds, pride laces his deep voice. 

“You gave up living the life of a billionaire to come here and crawl into a hole without one complaint. You remind me of a younger me.” Toph adds.  

Sanya sits before her, beaming, as she pushes food around her plate. 

“I don’t know what you did, but you got this one to calm down a bit.” Lin tilts her head in Sanya’s direction. “I haven’t gotten one call about her since you got here. Well, aside from that water tower incident.”

Blood rushes to the water bender’s face. “It was an emergency!” 

Lin punches the girl in the arm. 

“You’re going to say something. Don’t argue, you should know by now how stubborn we Beifong women are. So, hush up and eat!” Toph exclaims. 

Asami obeys as she takes a bite out of a roll. 

They ate dinner mostly in silence. Toph or Sanya cracked a joke every now and then, keeping the table lively. Lin constantly teased Sanya about the four bowls of noodles she ate. Pebble’s hardy cackle never failed to put a smile on Asami’s face. The Beifongs teased the girls all night. She wouldn’t have it any other way. 

They sit around the dining table with steaming cups of tea. Jet lies under Sanya’s chair, fatigued from his feast. Asami watches the steam from her tea dance above her cup, watching Sanya from her peripheral vision. The other girl keeps her head down, occasionally looking up to meet her gaze. 

“So, you were down there for a while. What happened?” Toph breaks the silence. 

“Mother! Leave her be. She probably doesn’t want to talk about it.” Lin exclaims. 

“No, no. It’s all right.” Asami adds. 

Everyone settles into their chair. Even Jet seems to rise from his nearly comatose state to listen to her.

“Well, there isn’t much to tell. I couldn’t see a thing.”

“Man, I know how that feels.” Toph chuckles to herself. 

Lin sighs with exasperation and hides her face in her hands. Pebble’s hardy laugh fills the room. 

“I just kept going. I didn’t think I could do it. To be completely honest, I wanted to quit as soon it got dark.” She continues when the room quiets down. 

She looks around the room. Lin leans into her chair, eyes on her tea. Her mother’s eyes stare straight ahead, looking for something they will never see. Pebble, like a mountain of flesh, sits idly by. Sanya fidgets in her seat as she pulls on her arm sleeves. She can see tuffs of Jet’s fur peeking up from under the table. These are the faces that helped her get through the darkness. 

“I just kept going until I found that clearing. I sat. I waited. I listened. A badger mole came by and told me to follow it. I didn’t know they could talk.” 

“They can’t.” Toph adds. “Not in the way you and I talk. They communicate using vibrations in the earth.”

“Oh.” Asami’s bewilderment manifests on her face. “Well, I followed it. And…” Her voice trails off. 

She remembers the conversation with her mother. Downcast eyes avoid contact with wandering gazes. She can still hear her mother’s disembodied voice. A wave of glumness overcomes her. “I heard, I think I heard, my mother speaking to me. I don’t know.” She covers her eyes withher hand and promptly looks away. 

She did not want to be seen crying whilst sitting at a table with some of the strongest women she knows. Her conversation with her mother plays over and over in her mind. She still does not understand how she heard her mother’s voice in that cave. She refuses to believe it was real, yet she would love for it to be true. 

Soft fur tickles her arm. Jet whines, resting his head on her lap.

“Hey.” Sanya’s voice is soft. 

She turns to see the water bender beside her. She stares into the comforting pools of sapphire that are her eyes, wondering how someone with so much pain can still be so full of compassion. She looks down to see Sanya’s open hand, asking for hers. She takes it. 

“You don’t have to tell us.” Lin says as she leans on the table. 

She nods. “How was that possible? Why did I hear her?” 

Lin sighs and runs her hands through her hair. “I don’t know kid.”

“Linnora, tell her what you told me when you came out of the cave.” 

Lin’s eyes keep their contact with Asami’s. “I heard my uncle Aang.”

The water bender does not move. She feels the water bender squeeze her hand. 

“He told me to take care of my mother, to take care of my family.” She pauses. Emerald eyes search the ceiling for a memory. “He told me being strong doesn’t always mean being a rock. Because even rocks will wither away if they stand still for too long.” Her voice is soft. 

Asami watches the chief. Her features have softened. She is no longer the steel faced woman she admires, but rather a sorrowful young girl. For a moment, she sees herself. A green eyed woman mourning the loss of her family. 

“I don’t know how it works either kiddo, but it does.” Toph adds. “The first few times I went to see the badger moles I didn’t hear anyone’s voice. Not anyone I knew anyway. It told me I was a rock, let the water shape me.” A somber smile grows on her face. “If I’d understood then, I wouldn’t have been such a brat to Katara and Sokka.”

Pebble sniffles in his seat. “I just love you all so much.” The man’s voice is higher than usual. 

The women let out small laughs. 

“Oh, might as well.” Toph rises from her seat and throws her arms around Asami and Sanya. Pebble excitedly joins the embrace. Jet scurries out of the way as the man’s massive arms nearly lift the girl’s off their seats. She cannot help but grin at the sudden display of affection. Lin stays in her seat, eying the group. 

“Come on Lin, you’re part of the group too!” Toph says playfully. 

The chief rolls her eyes. She gets up and puts an arm around her mother. 

Pebble gives them all one large, sob filled squeeze before letting go. “We should all do that more often.” He says as he heads back into the kitchen. 

“I haven’t done that since the gang was still together.” Toph adds as she keeps her arm around her daughter. 

“The gang?” Asami inquires. 

“The ‘gAang.’ Get it? Because Avatar Aang? And they were a team.” Sanya tries to explain as she wipes a tear from her smiling face. “I don’t know. Grumps thought of it.” 

Toph shrugs. “We all just went with it.” She begins to leave the room. “I’m off to bed. I’ll see you all in the morning.”

Lin begins to follow. “You better get some rest too. We’ll be training again tomorrow.” 

Asami nods. She and Sanya rise from their seats. 

“I’m gonna stay up and help Pebble.” She looks down to find Jet already half asleep under the table. 

“All right. I’ll see you in the morning.” Asami says.

“Good night.” The water bender 

She turns to leave the room, feeling Sanya’s eyes on her. She chews on her lip as she contemplates her next move. She turns around and hastily walks back to Sanya. She gives the other girl a quick kiss on the lips . “Good night.” 

 

She lies awake in her bed, unmoving and silent. Asami has been lost in thought since she got to her room. Her mother is all she can think about. She throws her blanket aside and makes her way to the armoire. Opening its large wooden doors, she picks up a small shoe box beneath all her clothes. She pushes aside small trinkets. Pearls on a broken necklace slide around the bottom of the box. She pulls out a small photo of her mother, a young Asami sits at her knee. Her younger self has a goofy grin on her face, a sharp contrast to her mother’s small elegant smile. Her mother wears a string of pearls. She remembers the day the photo was taken. Her mother begged and pleaded with her to stay clean all day for the photo. She did not want to do it then, but now she is thankful she agreed. 

She takes the photo and stuffs the box under her clothes. She reaches into her coat pocket, feeling for two small foil wrapped cubes. She quietly makes her way out of her room, being careful not to wake anyone. She bumps into a body as she closes her room’s door. She turns quickly to find Sanya completely still, clutching a piece of paper to her chest, two sticks of incense stick out from the waistband of her shorts. 

She opens her mouth to say something, but decides against it. Sanya looks down at the photo of Asami and her mother. She takes the paper she clutches to her chest and turns it over. An older man holds a laughing toddler. The sides of his head are shaved while the top remains tied back, greying in the center. He wears white arm sleeves. His Water Tribe attire fits him well. Beside him, a woman stands tall dressed in the uniform of a Kyoshi warrior. Her face is bare, save for a wide grin. She rests her arm on the man beside her while using her free hand to tickle the child. 

Asami nods and tip toes down the corridor. She cannot hear Sanya behind her, but she knows the water bender is following. They slip out the kitchen door and make their way to the lake. They walk side by side in silence. Each looking down at their photograph. 

The girls walk to the far end of the lake. They sit in the grass next to the water. Asami is unsure of what to say, but she is perfectly content sitting in silence. She watches the water bender gather nearby rocks. She stacks them up into a small tower and places her photograph against the rocks. She decides to do the same. She stares at her mother. She always admired her elegance. Her hair was perfectly done, not a strand out of place. She wears a hair clip to match her necklace. Her eyes look down at her daughter. She is not angry that the child is not serious. She is overjoyed that her daughter is happy. The water bender fixes a stick of incense beside her photograph and the other beside Asami’s. She takes a single match, strikes it against a rock and lights the sweet smelling sticks.

“She was beautiful.” Sanya says, resting her head on her arms with her knees tucked in under her chin. “You look like her.”

 “Thank you.” 

She continues to stare at the photograph, trying hard to remember everything about her mother. She knows the water bender is watching her. 

Sanya keeps her eyes on Asami’s photograph. She moves closer to her, motioning for her to scoot over. Despite her confusion, she complies. 

The water bender straightens her back while sitting cross legged. She folds her hands in her lap. “Hello, Mrs. Sato. It’s nice to finally meet you. Although, I wish it were under better circumstances. Err, my name is Sanya and I care about your daughter very much.” 

“What are you doing?” . 

She holds up a finger to silence her. Her cheeks begin to flush a deep pink. “I know I’m not super rich or super famous and my family’s a little… Strange, but they raised me well.” She clears her throat. “I think you’re very beautiful ma’am. I can see where your daughter gets her beauty from. I hope you’re doing well. Things here aren’t so good right now, but I promise I won’t let anything happen to Asami.” She pauses, chewing on her lip. 

Asami can see her brain working. The other girl raises her hand. A stream of water lazily floats to her hand. The stream lands before Asami’s photo, morphing itself into a bouquet of roses before freezing solid. 

“I heard you like flowers. I’m sorry this is the best I can do. Pebble gets mad when I mess with his garden you see.”

Asami is frozen in awe. She wants to cry. She wants to tackle the water bender to the ground and hold her in a tight embrace. She wants to join in on the conversation. Her eyes dart from Sanya staring intently at Asami’s photograph to Sanya’s photograph. 

She gets to her feet and takes a seat before the picture. “Ma’am. Sir. My name is Asami Sato and I care about your granddaughter very much.” She can see Sanya staring at her from the corner of her eye. “I know my father has done some horrible things, but please don’t think I’m like him. I couldn’t live with myself if I ever hurt your granddaughter.” She places the two cubes beside the photograph. “I’m sorry it isn’t much, it’s all I have right now.” She leans closer to the photo. “I can see where Sanya gets her pretty smile and big heart.” She knows the water bender is flushing red. 

“Copycat.” Sanya teases. 

She is beaming. She tries to punch Sanya, but the other girl moves aside. Asami thinks she might fall, but steady hands catch her. She steadies herself. The water bender leans back with her hands on the grass.

Asami sits close, nearly resting on the other girl’s arm. 

“You were adorable.” Sanya says playfully. “Is she the reason why you wear your hair clip all the time?”

She stares at her mother. “I think so. I always thought she was the prettiest woman in the world. I wanted to be just like her. It belonged to her, so I wear it all the time.” 

“I like your hair like this. Without the clip.”

Asami runs her hand through her hair. 

“But, I like with the clip too. Don’t get me wrong. I think you’d be the most beautiful girl in the world either way.” Sanya adds.

Blood rushes to her face. She bites back a smirk, but it is too overpowering. Sanya leans away from her, trying to hide her reddened cheeks. She tugs at her arm sleeves. 

“You’re not so bad yourself.” She focuses on the focuses on the younger Sanya. She can see strands of white hair beginning to sprout on her head. “You were a very cute baby. Look at those cheeks!” She teases.

“Grumps used to call me foo foo cuddly poops.” She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “Why did I just tell you that?” 

Asami laughs. Sanya joins her despite her attempts to suppress the laughter. 

“Is he the reason why you wear those all the time?” She points to the water bender’s arm sleeves. 

The smile quickly fades from the girl’s face. She tries her best to regain it, but her eyes deceive her mouth’s false gesture. 

Asami begins to worry as panic rises in her. 

“Umm, kind of.” Sanya keeps her eyes down. 

She slips off her arm sleeves. A long faded scar encircles both her arms above the wrist like a bracelet. Smaller scars adorn her arms. Some have recently healed.

Asami is in shock. She had no idea the girl hid so many scars. “Aunt Toph told me what happened to your grandparents. Did this happen then…” Her voice is soft and slow.

The water bender nods, refusing to make eye contact. “The big ones. The smaller ones were me. You would have found out sooner or later.”

She can only imagine the sort of pain she endured to have the will to scratch herself raw. “Oh Sanya.” Asami takes the other girl’s wrist and traces her scars with her finger. She holds onto Sanya’s hands, desperately hoping the girl will look at her. 

She finally looks up. “I didn’t want you to think,”

“Whatever it is that you thought I would think or say is probably wrong. So, I’m going to hug you now. Is that okay?”

Sanya lets out a small laugh before agreeing. Asami pulls the water bender in by the wrists and wraps her arms around her neck. She squeezes tightly, hoping somehow her embrace will heal the scars. The other girl’s arm wraps around her torso and she feels a familiar warmth. She breathes in the scent of lavender and lilies. She feels as though she might fall asleep in Sanya’s arms. 

“I know you want to apologize. Please don’t.” Asami says.

Sanya releases her grip, a somber smile on her face. “I was right.”

“About?”

“We would end up just apologizing to each other all the time.”

Asami giggles, hiding her face in her hand. 

Sanya pushes aside the melting bouquet of flowers and picks up Asami’s photo. “I don’t want it to get ruined.” She hands her the photograph, brushing off specks of dirt that hang onto the edges. 

Asami leans back and takes the foil wrapped cubes and Sanya’s photograph. “Might as well eat these.” She hands the other girl the picture and one cube. “They’re my favorite.”

She watches Sanya unwrap the treat, revealing the dark chocolate underneath. 

 She looks up before placing the chocolate in her mouth. “Cherries?”

Asami nods. 

“I’m allergic to cherries!” The water bender’s eyes widen

Her jaw drops, panic clouds her mind. 

Sanya falls over in laugher. “I’m just kidding.”

Asami snatches the arm sleeves and begins playfully hitting her with them. The water bender tries to shield herself from the light hearted assault. She falls over onto the grass. Asami takes advantage and continues to hit the girl.

“Okay! Okay! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! It was a stupid joke.”

She lies down on the grass beside Sanya, stopping her assault. She extends her arms and stares at her scars. Asami keeps her eyes on her face, taking a moment to appreciate the beauty in her simplicity. No make-up. No cover-ups. No false face. Asami touches her own face, remembering the amount of make-up she used to wear. She smiles to herself. She takes Sanya’s arm sleeves and slips them onto the girl’s arm, smoothing them out slowly. She can feel the raised skin of the large scars over the sleeve. 

“Thank you” 

Sanya’s face turns bright pink. She looks away, doing her best to avoid eye contact. 

“What’s wrong?” Asami moves hair out of her face. 

She is silent. Asami worries that she might have done something wrong. She begins to move back, but is halted by a gentle arm. 

“It’s just you’re so pretty. It’s like I can’t even look at you when you’re this close without burning up.” She covers her face with her hands.

She peals back the water bender’s hands. Her smile is beaming. “You don’t think I might feel the same?” Her heart begins to race. 

The water bender opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out. Asami watches her eyes dart back and forth. She watches her mouth twitch. She watches the way her eyebrows move. She takes note of the small scars on Sanya’s chin and right eyebrow. If she ever has to go back into that badger mole cave, if she ever has to travel through pitch darkness again, she would have a clear picture of her face. 

Sanya laughs. “I can only dream that you do.” She chews on her lip. 

She can see a thought forming in her mind. 

“Earlier today, when you woke up…”

She forces Sanya to look at her. They say nothing. A million thoughts run through her head, she is frozen. Sanya tucks a lock of hair behind Asami’s ear. She takes the water bender’s hand and holds it. Her skin is hot, making her palms sweat. She can feel Sanya’s breath on her lips. She forgets that all that is wrong in the world. She forgets her heartache. She forgets her father. If Asami could freeze time, she would. 

Sanya places her finger on Asami’s lips, shaking her head no. “Not when your mom is watching.” A playful grin on her face. 

“Don’t forget grumps and gran.”

Sanya takes Asami’s face in her hands and gives her a quick peck on the cheek. The girls get to their feet, each picking up their photographs. They leave the small towers of rocks behind knowing they will return to this spot. The girls walk back to the house. Asami looks down at the photo of her mother and for the first time she does not feel sadness. She feels content. 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

The past week was grueling for Asami. Lin took over her training the morning after their trip to the badger mole cave. They have been out in the backyard all morning and most of the afternoon, taking no time off for breaks. Lin screams instructions at her as she dodges chunks of earth. She does not wear Lin’s metal bending uniform today, as per Lin’s instructions for her not to wear it. She has not worn it all week. She can feel her exhaustion slowly taking over her. She becomes sloppy. She does her best to push a pillar of stone past a line Lin drew on the ground. She puts all her body weight into her shoulder as she pushes it. 

Lin’s screaming voice fills her ears. “Come on kid! You can do better than that!”

The girl grunts with frustration. She is grateful the sun is not out today, large grey clouds spare her from the searing sunlight. She continues to push the stone slab. It pushes back. In a fit of frustration, she yells and kicks the stone slab. She turns around with a heavy breath. She puts her hands on her hips, staring at the kitchen door. She sees Toph and Pebble out of the corner of her eye.

“Hey! I didn’t tell you to stop!” Lin screams. 

“Well, I’m stopping!” 

Toph and Pebble freeze, watching the scene that is about to unfold. 

Asami uses her shirt to wipe sweat and dirt off her face. She can hear Lin walking toward her. 

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m tired.” Her voice trembles with frustration. 

“I didn’t ask if you were tired.”

“Well, I’m telling you that I am. I haven’t had a break since we started.”

The women stare each other down. Asami does her best not to show any fear in her eyes, but Lin’s steel gaze is unrelenting. She does not understand why the woman has been so hard on her lately. 

“Hey, what’s going on here!” Toph breaks the tension between the two. 

“Linnora, you’ve been really hard on her lately. Perhaps she could do with a break.” Pebble adds as he wrongs his hands. His eyes scan the ground, avoiding Lin’s iron gaze. 

“How is she ever going to get any better if she doesn’t train?” Lin’s voice rises. 

“I’m doing the best I can.” Asami says through her teeth. 

“If you were, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” Lin says.

Asami’s anger fumes. “I’m not a bender Lin! I can’t do the things you want me to do that are so easy for you! Because I’m not like you!” She leaves in a huff.

“Linnora, let her go. You both need to cool off.” Toph says to her daughter.

She storms into the kitchen and gets herself a glass of water hoping to extinguish the flames of anger coursing through her veins. She cannot understand why Lin feels the need to push her so hard. _‘It’s not like I’ve been slacking off.’_ She thinks to herself. She leans on the kitchen counter, rubbing her forehand. Guilt begins to replace anger. The Beifongs have been nothing but welcoming. They have treated her not as a guest, but like one of their own. 

“Hey.” 

Her train of thought is derailed. She looks up to find Sanya standing in the doorway. She carries three large books in one hand and a half eaten meat bun in the other. 

“Hey.” Asami exhales. 

“Something wrong?” Sanya places her books on the the counter. 

She whistles. Jet comes into the room, takes the half eaten bun, and leaves. 

Asami shakes her head no as the water bender walks toward her. 

Sanya leans onto the counter beside her and crosses her arms. “I’m going to go ahead and assume auntie did and or said something.”

She does not move. Her eyes stay focused on the water in her glass.

“Judging by the dirt and sweat on you, you were just training with her. And, since she’s still out there,” She leans back to look out the window. “With Aunt Toph… I’m guessing you two got into an argument?”

Asami caves. “I don’t know why she’s being so hard on me lately. I’m not a bender, I can’t do things she wants me to do. Am I being punished for something?” 

“She can be like that. It just seems like she’s asking for the impossible.”

“Exactly.”

“Aunt Toph did that to me too. I hated her for it. But, she never asked me to do something I couldn’t do. I just didn’t think I could do it.”Sanya pauses. “Oh no, I sound like Aunt Katara! Stop me before I tell you my whole life story about hope and never giving up!” False panic laces her voice. 

Asami laughs. 

“She just doesn’t know how to do it anyway else and I know she can be very motherly. I’m sorry for that. But, she really cares about you. We all do. As cliche as this may sound, we all have faith in you.”

She is silent, taking in everything the girl just said. “Thank you so much for that.”

“No problem. I am pretty good at motivational speeches aren’t I?” Sanya is playfully proud of herself. 

She wants to correct the water bender, to tell her she was not thanking her for just the speech. 

“You’re cute when you’re mad. But you’re absolutely stunning when you smile. So, can I have a smile?” 

Asami involuntarily grants Sanya’s request with flushed cheeks. 

“Thank you! But I should be going. Looks like you’ll have new company soon.” The water bender gently squeezes Asami’s arm. 

Lin walks in through the kitchen door. “Where were you?” She asks Sanya.

“With friends.” She picks up her books.

“You have friends?” Lin jokes. 

Sanya mocks her with a bratty smile. “I have two!” She takes her books and makes her way out of the room. 

Lin leans on the wall with her arms crossed. Asami stands motionless with her glass of water. 

“Hey, I’m sorry,” They both say in unison. 

“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have stormed off like that.”

“No. I’m sorry. I did take it a bit far. I shouldn’t have pushed you so much.”

They stand in silence. She is unsure of her next move, but her mouth speaks before her mind can think. 

“No, no Lin really. I’m so sorry. You and your family have been the best and I was just rude. I know you wouldn’t ask me to do anything you didn’t think I could do it.”

Lin holds up a hand, silencing the girl. “It’s all right, kid. I was at fault too. Get cleaned up. I’ll go get us some dinner. Fish okay with you?” 

She nods. 

The phone rings in the other room. Lin goes to answer it. Asami tries not to eavesdrop, but her ears have become much more sensitive to sound since the she went to the cave. 

“How bad is it?” Lin’s voice is serious. 

“I understand. Anywhere else in the city?”

A pause.

“Do you have any idea why just there in particular?” 

Lin runs her hand through her hair and sighs in frustration. “It all just seems so familiar.”

Asami’s heart begins to pound against her chest. She wonders if there was another attack. 

“We’ll be there as soon as we can. And Mai, please be careful.”

Lin hangs up. Asami does her best to act as though she was not listening. 

The metal bender walks into the kitchen. “Get dressed. There’s been another attack. They fear it’ll get worse.”

She nods. She follows Lin to the corridor, making her way to her room.

“Wait.” Lin says as she opens the door to her room. 

The girl is still, waiting for the woman to return.

Lin rushes out of her room holding a white box. “No use in you using my old equipment. I had this done for you, I hope it fits. I had to steal some of your clothes to use as a guide.” Lin turns to Sanya’s door. “Sanya! Suit up!” She bangs on the door twice before rushing down the corridor.

She puts the box on her bed and opens it. A new metal bending uniform lies under sheets of wax paper. The top is accented with dark red instead of the yellow on Lin’s uniform. Blood red gears are embroidered on the biceps. It feels lighter than the one she is used to working with. She turns it over to find that Lin has used a lighter material for her cables. Asami is in awe of how well made it is and how well Lin knows her sense of style. She quickly undresses and puts on her new clothes. It is more form fitting than Lin’s old uniform. The bottoms are tight around her leg, allowing her boots to easily slip over them. Asami adjusts her hair clip as she rushes out her door. 

Lin stands fully dressed in the living room accompanied by her mother, Pebble, and Jet. 

“Looks good.” The metal bender throws a casual compliment toward Asami. 

“Thanks.”

“Oh, is she wearing the thing? I helped, you know.” Toph adds with a grin. 

“You criticized every decision I made about it.” Lin protests. 

“It’s called constructive criticism.” 

Lin shakes her head as Sanya walks into the room. She wears her water bending top, boomerang slung over her shoulder,and has pulled back the white portion of her hair, Asami knows she’s ready to fight. 

“This is nice, you look good.” Sanya touches Asami’s shoulder. She looks to Lin as she asks, “What exactly is going on?” 

“The equalists are attacking again. Mai is trying to keep it under control, but she’s asking for our help. She’s says it’s worse than last time around.”

“What about Chan?” Sanya asks. 

“He was hurt pretty bad last time. He’s not taking any risks this time around. He’s coordinating with the police, helping them get organized.” 

Sanya nods in understanding. 

“Pebble, I’m gonna need you to come with us. There are casualties and injured. I’ll need help getting them out. Can you come with us?”

“Of course.”

“Bring Jet with you. That nose of his might come in handy.” Lin adds. 

“I’m coming too.”

“Mother, no. You have to stay here.”

“Hey! I may be old, but I can still handle myself in a fight!”

“Mom,”

“Linnora, you’re wasting time arguing with me.”

Lin throws her arms in the air as a sign of surrender. “All right, lets go people.”

The group rushes outside. 

Sanya gets to her knees, petting Jet. “Do whatever Pebble says, okay? Be good and take care of him.” 

The wolf gives her a head butt before bounding off to follow Pebble. 

Lin’s outstretched hand holds the keys to the car.

Asami shakes her head no. “I don’t think I should.” She says softly. 

She has not driven a car since the night in the alley back in Republic City. Just the sight of a Satomobile makes her uneasy. 

Lin nods and she gets into the driver’s seat. Sanya takes hold of the door handle for the back seat, stepping aside allowing Asami to enter. 

“Thanks. You don’t have to do that you know.” She laughs. 

“Yes she does!” Toph jokes as she enters the passenger seat. 

Lin begins to drive away from the home, Pebble following in a different Satomobile. 

“Where are we going?” Sanya asks.

Asami watches the wind blow through the water bender’s hair, wishing she could watch it all evening. 

“The area near the Earth Rumble arena.” 

“Earth Rumble?” Asami’s interest is drawn away from Sanya’s hair. 

“You used to watch pro-bending right? It’s like that but it’s only earth benders.” Lin explains. 

“It’s pretty awesome. Aunt Toph won it three years in a row!” There is genuine pride in Sanya’s voice. 

“Well, this was back when it was in Gaoling. I was ten when I won my first belt. Twelve when I won my last one.” 

Her jaw drops. She always knew the earth bending master was powerful, but never that powerful. 

“I probably would have won more if I didn’t have to save the world with Twinkle Toes and his Sugar Queen.” She feigns nonchalance. “Lin here won it once, when she was seventeen.” 

“Oh really? Tell me about it.” Asami teases. 

“She made me do it.” Lin points to her mother. “I was seventeen. I wanted to shut her up. So, I did it. I met Pebble there.” 

“I didn’t know he’s an earth bender.”

“He’s not. His dad was a friend of mine, called himself the Boulder. I totally kicked his butt in the arena by the way. He had no where to go since his dad passed so he stayed with me. Never gave me any trouble, that boy.” 

“He worked at the arena, making sure everything was all right up top and underground. We became friends and that was that. And before you ask, yes just friends. He doesn’t like girls. Or boys for that matter.” Lin shrugs. 

“Underground…” Asami says to herself. “How big is this arena?” She asks. 

“Much bigger than the pro-bending arena in Republic City.” 

Sanya sits up a little straighter. Asami can see an idea forming in her head. “Do you think they might be keeping things under the arena? And that’s why they attacked the shops nearby?”

“Maybe. But why would they attack so close to where they hide?” Toph asks. “I mean, I know it’s easy to bribe those arena guys but, do you think it’s possible?” 

Asami’s mind begins to work. Her father hid his secret factory in a place she never would have expected. 

“That’s how my father works. He will hide things in the most obvious places because you can’t see what’s right under your nose. I’d imagine these guys would have done the same.” She rests her head in her hands. 

There is silence in the car. Asami watches the world go by as Lin drives faster. The sky becomes a darker shade of grey as they make their way through a suburban neighborhood. She does not think she can face her father today. Or any day. She knows the day will come when she must to fight him again. 

Sanya huffs, crossing her arms. “What a booger.” 

“Sanya!” Lin scolds her. 

Toph laughs in the front seat. 

“I’m sorry!” She turns to Asami. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know why I said it.”

She laughs. “It’s okay. He really is.” 

The light mood in the car is quickly extinguished as thunder booms around them. The sound of yelling and cars screeching reaches them before they see the wreckage. Whole sections of buildings have been taken out. The sharp smell of smoke fills their lungs. Asami covers face with her mouth as the smoke burns her nose. Lin slows down, taking in every inch of the wreckage. 

“Auntie, what’s the plan?” Sanya asks.

Lin stops the car and looks back. “You actually want a plan now?” Actual surprise in her voice. 

Sanya shrugs, worry on her face as she shoots a glance toward Asami. 

A familiar face runs toward the car as they all step out. Pebble and Jet soon join then. 

“Mai, what happened here? It’s a mess.” Lin wastes no time. 

Asami stands near the car, watching Mai’s face. Her hair is tied back, but strands have come loose. She wears the dark green uniform of the Ba Sing Se police force, a stark contrast from the outfit Asami saw her wear the first time they met. 

“We’re spread thin. We’ve called for back up from surrounding towns but I don’t know how soon they can get here. They came out of no where, we were caught off guard.” She wipes soot from her sweaty face. “Thank’s for coming. I’ve been chi blocked so I’m useless out here. Can’t bend a single flame.” 

“You’re not useless.” Lin pats her shoulder. “Where are they now?”

“We don’t know they retreated. We’ve set up a small office in that building over there.” She points behind her. “I can show you what we know.” 

Lin nods. “Li, take Jet and look for people in those buildings.” She points to the nearest ones. 

Pebble nods, patting the wolf’s back and making his way to the buildings. 

Lin turns to her mother. “Mother, are you coming?”

“Nah, tell me later.” She begins to walk away. “I’m gonna take a look around.” She turns, pointing at the women. “Don’t give me that look! You know what I mean.”

Lin shrugs and follows Mai. “Sanya, put out those fires.” She points to the water bender without looking at her. 

Asami walks away from the car, taking in the scene. The sky is dark as thunder booms. She clutches her arms as she watches small fires burn. The ground has been upturned, chunks of concrete litter the once perfect road. Her mind begins to race at the thought of her father showing up. She does not know what she will do. 

“Asami?” 

She turns to find Sanya standing with her hands behind her back. “I think you’ll need this more than me.” She holds out her boomerang.” 

“Sanya, I can’t take this. It was your grandfather’s.”

“I think he would rather have you use it for good than Jet and I using it as a toy.” She smirks. 

“Are you sure?” 

She nods. “Take good care of it.” 

Asami takes the boomerang and slings it over her shoulder so it rests snuggly on her back. “Thank you.” 

“I have to go put out those fires.” She squeezes her arm. “It’ll be okay.” She runs off to tend to the fires. 

Asami watches her, remembering the ball of fire that nearly knocked her out. That ball of fire extinguished itself as soon as it hit Toph’s wall of earth. These fires burn on concrete. Her heart races at the thought of the equalists returning with more fire power. She watches Sanya bend a stream of water onto one of the fires. It does not go out.The water bender stands with a hand on her hip, scratching her head. Asami chews on her lip, the gears in her mind grinding away to think of why these fires refuse to be put out. 

The water bender tries again with a larger stream of water. The fire spreads. Sanya falls on her bottom. 

Lin walks out of the building. “Sanya! I told you to put them out, not make them bigger!” she screams.

“I’m trying but they won’t go out!” 

The girl remembers an incident in one of the factories. A fire broke out, but the workers did not use water to put it out. They used sand. 

“Wait!” She yells as she runs toward Lin and Sanya. 

“Lin, you have to do it. Water won’t work. They’ve probably used some sort of oil. Water will only make it spread. But earth will put it out.” The words spill out of her mouth. 

She keeps eye contact with the metal bender as she catches her breath. 

“Mom!” Lin screams. 

Toph appears near the car. 

“Don’t go off to play little soldier girl and cause trouble.” Lin continues. “You too.” Her steel gaze directed toward Sanya. 

The girls walk toward Toph. 

“Did you find anything?”

“Something’s off. I don’t know what it is. I can’t quite put my foot on it. Literally.”

The girls nod. They watch Pebble and Jet exit the building. The large man carrying limp bodies in his arms. One of the women in a police uniform greets him. He shakes his head no and motions back into the building. Asami’s heart drops. She cannot understand how these people can so careless with lives. She lost her mother to the same careless behavior. 

“Hey! Something’s coming!” Toph yells. 

Lin, Pebble, and Jet run toward the car. 

“I felt it too.” Lin says to her mother. 

“What is it?” Asami asks. 

Before anyone can answer, a loud mechanical growl comes from down the street. Asami cannot help but wonder if she will see her father again, or at least, the man who looked like him. 

“Lin, plan?” She is anxious. 

Before the metal bender can respond a loud explosion rocks the street. Asami’s ears ring as debris falls on her. She grabs Sanya’s arm to steady herself. Toph is unmoving. 

“Okay, here’s the plan. Don’t die!” Lin shouts before running toward the blast.

Asami turns to see familiar equalist mechs making waste of intact buildings down the street. Masked attackers charge on foot. Large vans unload more foot soldiers. 

“Why would they come back here? It doesn’t make sense.” Sanya’s eyes are glued to the mechs. “They’ve already made their point here, why would they come back?”

She begins to wonder the same thing. They have no reason to come back to this street. It is already completely destroyed. 

Sanya shrugs and runs toward the battle. Asami looks around for Toph, but the master earth bender is no where to be found.

She moves as quickly as she can, unleashing her cables as she moves forward. Pebble effortlessly tosses a masked equalist into the air. She looks around for the wolf, but cannot find him. She hurls a cable toward the nearest masked attacker. He grunts as her cable pulls his feet out from under him. With a flick of the wrist she sends him flying into into a car. Two more attackers run toward her, from the corner of her eye she sees three more charging. Their electric batons fill the air around her with a sharp buzzing. She takes a deep breath. Standing on her toes, she makes for the two in front of her. She imagines they are stones pillars back home. Home. She feels the Beifong residence is more of a home than Republic City. 

Her mouth curls into a small grin as she swiftly takes out the two attackers. Three more come at her, swing their batons. She is hit in the ribs by an elbow. Normally, this would cause her to fall. Not today. She swiftly retaliates with a knee to the stomach while simultaneously punching another right between the eyes. The third assailant puts up a fight. She knows they know who she is. She knows they think she’s a traitor to their cause. She knows they want her to be punished. She wraps a cable around her attacker then quickly pulls it back, causing the equalist to spin into a nearby wall. 

Asami turns around looking for Toph and the wolf. She feels a sense of responsibility for them. Lin moves like lightning across the street, sending chunks of earth and metal into the mechs. She can see frustration in the metal bender’s eyes. 

The air is knocked out of Asami’s lungs as a kick hits her upper back. She falls to her knees, doing her best to catch her breath. She looks up to see three more equalists standing before her. 

One of them laughs. “The boss’ll be happy. Don’t bother getting up princess.” 

Asami grits her teeth. The middle equalist raises an electric baton and begins to swing down. Asami raises her arm and braces herself for the attack. 

“Don’t tell her what to do.” Sanya smirks as she slides between Asami and her attacker. 

The water bender fashions a circular shield out of ice. The baton should have shattered the ice, but Sanya’s shield is strong. She pushes the the attacker back. Sanya gets to her feet, a thin stream of water runs down her hand. It freezes into a long sword. With skilled hands she quickly knocks down one of them. 

“Stay down, catch your breath. I got this!” Sanya screams as she swiftly takes down two more equalists with her frozen weapons. 

She drops the shield and sword. As they melt, the water flies back into the tubes in her jacket. Asami gets to her feet. 

“You alright?” Sanya asks, dusting off Asami’s shoulder. 

She nods yes. “Nice trick.” She teases. 

Sanya shrugs with a proud smile on her face. 

Before she can utter a word, an equalist lands a flurry of punches on Sanya’s back. Asami knows that motion all too well, Sanya has been chi blocked. The water bender turns quickly as four more equalists appear. 

“Rude!” Sanya yells. “Go help auntie! I can handle them.”

With lightning fast fists, Sanya single handedly takes down two of her assailants. Asami knows the girl can handle herself. She throws a cable toward the nearest equalist, smashing them to the ground. She looks to her right to see Pebble. His shirt has been torn off, but the sheer amount of hair on his body makes it look as though he wears a sweater. He tosses a large slab of concrete at an equalist van. 

Lin single handedly takes down an equalist mech. Asami pauses and braces herself as it falls. Three more mechs begin firing. Balls of fire fly over head, spreading into a wall of flames as they hit the ground. Asami keeps moving. She twists her body to the side to avoid a baton. Before she is on her feet she unleashes a cable and hits her attacker square in the chest. Her attacker tumbles back, nearly falling into a fire. She hesitates. She throws a cable, latching onto the equalist’s legs. She pulls the cable back, making sure her foot connects with the equalist’s skull. This person may be an enemy, but she is not as reckless with lives. 

A hurricane of thoughts fills her mind. She wonders about Toph and Jet. She tries not to worry too much about Sanya, but the task proves to be difficult. She takes down two more equalists with ease. There are more of them, but they are easier to take down. She had no idea so many had such negative feelings toward benders. 

She stops to catch her breath, looking back at the path of unconscious bodies. A drop of water hits her face. She thinks nothing of it. Another drop hits her forehead. She looks down to see the ground being littered with raindrops. 

“Lin!” She scrams as she runs toward the metal bender. “Put out the fires!”

Lin does not hesitate. She bends a giant slab of earth and rolls it down the street to put out the fires. The downpour becomes heavier.

Anger grows in Asami. They were waiting for the rain, knowing it will spread the fires. She heads for the nearest mech, unsure if she can take it down by herself. She stays low, running as close to the ground as she can. With her cables dragging on the ground, she throws them around the mech’s legs. She pulls on the cables as hard as she can. The mech does not budge. 

“Hey! You useless pile of scrap metal! Come get me!” She hears Sanya scream before she runs away. 

The mech lifts a robotic leg in an attempt to follow Sanya, but it struggles as Asami’s cable are wrapped around its legs. She keeps the cables as tight as her arms will allow. Her feet begin sliding toward the mech on the wet pavement. Her arms begin to ache. The cables dig into her palms. She groans as her cables creak. The mech begins to fall. She gives it one last pull before releasing. She runs toward the mech and jumps onto its back. She tries to open the latch to the driver’s compartment, but it will not budge. She wraps a metal tendril around her fist and punches the latch. The pain in her hand tingles up her arm. She ignores it. The driver collapses out of the compartment. A woman she has seen before, in one of the factories. She hesitates.

“Sorry.” She whispers as she punches the woman in the face.  

She sits on the mech’s back watching the scene before her. The fires have been extinguished. The Ba Sing Se police force is spread thin, doing their best despite their obvious exhaustion. Sanya and Pebble take down more equalists. She sees Lin near a car. She cuts the car in half, holding her hands out. The metal pieces of the car attach themselves to her fists. She slams them together and she runs toward the nearest mech. With uncanny speed and strength, she punches dents into its leg until is creaks. She continues her assault, anger and irritation on her face. Asami knows the metal bender is frustrated she cannot bend these monstrous machines. The legs creak and the machine falls. Asami jumps off the equalist mech and runs toward the one Lin has taken down. The driver’s latch flips open as the driver stumbles out. Before the driver notices, Asami’s foot falls on their head. 

“I’m sorry. I know this not the time and things are really serious, but are we going to talk about the fact that auntie turned a car into a pair of gloves?” Sanya yells in sheer excitement and glee. “Lin ‘Iron Maiden’ Beifong everyone.” Sanya jokes. 

Asami cannot help but grin at the girl fawning over her aunt. The women regroup during a lull in the battle. 

“Are you two all right?” 

The girls nod. Sanya’s lower half is covered in mud, her wet hair sticks to her neck and shoulders as the rain continues to pour. The corner of her mouth is bruised, but it does not seem to bother her. 

“Where’s Jet?” Pebble asks as he joins the girls. 

“I saw him run off with my mother. She’s been chi blocked, but she’s okay. No need to worry about her.”

“It must’ve taken an army to chi block her.” Asami says. 

A proud smirk appears on Lin’s face. “It did.”

“What is she doing?” Asami wonders. 

“Listening.” Lin looks to a building on her right. “More are coming I can feel it. Keep it up. Stay safe and,”

Before Lin can finish her sentence, a new group of equalists come charging down the street. 

“Why are there so many of them?” Pebble says as he charges toward them. 

Lin keeps her metal gloves and effortlessly knocks down her attackers, like a cat playing with mice. 

Asami is unmoving, watching the next wave. The fear of seeing her father still lingers. Beside her Sanya grunts in frustration. She knows the girl is still chi blocked. She turns to her, flashing a comforting smile. She runs off and joins the fight. 

She takes a deep breath and reaches behind her. She tosses the boomerang with all her might. Four equalists attack her. She keeps one eye on he boomerang as it knocks out three foes, hitting square on the head. She punches and kicks, ignoring any pain inflicted by her attackers. Lin’s voice repeats in her head. ‘ _You’re made of stone kid. Nothing you can’t handle._ ’ Adrenaline flows through her body as she makes her final blows. The equalists fall as she catches the boomerang. 

“Wow, it really does always come back.” She turns to see another group of equalists running toward her. She tosses the boomerang again. Unleashing her cables, she swings them with determined fury. She shoulders ache and her arms scream with pain. Various bruises on her body make themselves known. She ignores all of it. Metal whips break human bone as rain splatters on the ground. She hears a familiar rumbling behind her. She freezes, taking her time turing toward the noise. Four large mechs slowly make their way down the street. A fifth larger one trudges through the wet streets behind the smaller ones. Asami runs toward Lin and Sanya as they stand dumbfounded at the sight. The Ba Sing Se police force has been exhausted. 

Pebble supports a fatigued Mai as her eyes grow with terror. Lin drops her metal gloves and removes her shoes. Asami is in awe of the rage burning in her eyes. 

“Sanya?” Lin says softly, turning her head slightly toward her niece. 

Her niece shakes her head. “It’s raining aunite. I think I’d rather use ice.” 

Lin nods. 

Asami is frozen in panic. She cannot believe how quickly Sanya recovered from being chi-blocked. She cannot believe these two women dare take on these mechs on their own without hesitation. 

“Kid.” Lin’s voice is stern. “If you run into my mother, please take care of her.” She says before walking towards her robotic foes. 

Sanya bends a dome of water around her before creating large spears of ice. 

“Be careful.” Asami says to her before she runs off in search of Toph and Jet. 

She takes one look back to see giant glaciers of ice and earth attack the mechs. 

“Pebble! Any sign of Jet or Aunt Toph yet?” 

“I thought I saw Jet earlier, running into one of the buildings.” He tilts his chin forward. “But I can’t say for certain.” 

Asami nods. “Are you all right?” She asks Mai. 

“Yeah, just a little sore.” She looks up at Pebble. “I’m okay now. I have to get the injured out of here. You stay with your family.”

Pebble opens his mouth to protest, but no words come out. He nods and makes his way past Asami toward Lin and Sanya. 

She does not know where to begin looking for the earth bender and the wolf. She runs across the street, paying no mind to the equalists she takes down with her metal serpents Before she can make it across the street, half a car hits the ground and knocks her on her back.

She looks up. _Sato_ is written on dented steel.

“It just had to be.” She says to herself as she shakes her head. 

She feels as though her brain rattles in her skull. She stays on the ground, waiting for the world to stop shaking. She looks down the street to see a large white wolf growling at three equalists. She tosses the boomerang, knowing Jet cannot resist wanting to catch it. As soon as the wolf is out of the way she quickly gets to her feet and unleashes her cables. 

A mech throws another car toward Lin and Sanya. Lin bends the car into a ball and hurls it back at the mech. Sanya unleashes her icy javelins. One goes down, but the others remain standing. They point their arms toward the women. 

Jet runs to her, boomerang in his mouth. 

“Good boy.” She pets his head while sheathing the boomerang. 

The wolf runs past her into a building. 

Asami runs toward the mechs, stopping just behind Sanya and Lin, hoping there is something she can do to help. The mechs release flames from their robotic arms. She knows that despite the rain, anything that comes in contact with that oil will burn and spread. Sanya and Lin are caught off guard. The water bender does her off set the flames with a towering wave, but the women are still knocked to the ground. The mechs lower their arms, the larger one remaining still behind them. They prepare to fire again. A wall of stone rises from the ground before the women.

“Stay away from my babies!” Asami hears a familiar voice. 

Toph calmly walks out of a building. He bare feet are covered in mud. “You think a little chi blocking can stop me!”

“Mother!”

“Don’t argue with me Linnora!”

Toph rolls up her sleeves. Asami helps Lin to her feet. They have no time to talk as they are attacked again. Two slabs of stone appear on either side of one of the mechs, they come together with incredible force. The mech did not stand a chance. 

“Mother, you can’t bend this type of metal! It’s too pure!” Lin argues as she throws a nonstop barrage of stone and metal at the nearest robotic foe. 

“Last time somebody told me I couldn’t do something, I did it.” Toph rolls up her sleeves with a smirk. 

Lin and Sanya continue their attack. Asami does her best to hurl small chunks of metal and concrete at the mechanical titan. Toph is still as a mountain in the rain. She punches the air. One of the mechs is thrown into the other. 

“Ha!” Toph yells with excitement. “Don’t ever tell me I can’t do something!” She laughs. 

The last of the smaller mechs plants itself into the ground. The larger one begins making its way toward the women. Sanya runs toward the smaller mech. Asami can see an equalist hiding near one of its legs.

“Sanya! No!” She runs as fast as her weary legs will carry her. 

She is too late. The equalist waits until Sanya is close enough then detonates something in their hand. An explosion rocks the streets. Sanya is hurled through the air. Asami drops to the ground and covers her head. She gets to her feet as quickly as she can. On shaky legs, she searches for the water bender. Once the dust settles she sees a large sphere of water. The sphere collapses and Sanya falls to the ground. She does not realize she has been holding her breath. She exhales as she runs to her and helps her to her feet.  

“I’d’be okay if I never ‘ad to do that again.” Sanya slurs. 

Before Asami can respond, a low buzzing fills her ears. She thinks the ground might be shaking, but it is too subtle to be certain.

Worry overcomes Toph’s face. “Linnora! I can’t see!” 

“Mother, now is not the time for one of your blind jokes!” Lin says as she swings onto the scene from a lamp post. 

Shock manifests on Lin’s face the moment her feet touch the ground. Asami breathes heavily as she tries to understand what is happening. 

“Will you be okay on your own?” She asks Sanya. 

The girl nods. “I just need to sit down for a bit.” She sinks to the ground. 

Asami moves strands of white hair out of Sanya’s face. “I’ll be back.” 

She runs to the earth benders. “Lin, that big one. It’s cause some sort of interference, that’s why she can’t see.”

“I know.” 

Toph stumbles, her arm outstretched searching for something stable. It is the first time Asami has seen the woman with panic in her cloudy eyes. She swallows a lump in her throat and takes Toph’s hand. The large mech stops. A small door opens where the driver’s compartment should be. A familiar silhouette is unmoving. 

“Hello Asami. Nice to see you again.”

Asami’s heart drops into her stomach. She is frozen with fear and anger. It cannot be him. She looks up to see his gaunt face. An unruly beard has grown around his mouth. He no longer wears his glasses, exposing his dark eyes. 

“Dad?” Her voice is nearly a whisper. 

Lin puts her hand on Asami’s shoulder. She takes her mother’s hand and lightly nudges her forward. 

She looks back to see Lin sitting Toph on the ground before making her way to Sanya. 

Asami carefully walks closer to the large mech. “Dad?” Her voice is louder now. 

“I knew it was you. I saw you that day we tried to attack the earth bending school. What are you doing all the way out here?” 

“Dad stop this. Stop it now. You don’t have to do this.” Her voice cracks. She does her best to hold back tears. 

“You would defend them? The same kind of people who killed your mother? The same kind of people who look down on people like you and me.”

She cringes at the thought of being like him. “Stop this. That was one man. It’s not worth all this.” She points to the destruction around her. 

The machine takes two steps forward as the girl takes two steps back. 

“They killed your mother ‘Sami.” She tenses at the way he says her name. “They are oppressing us Asami! They must be stopped!”

Rage rings in her ears. Tears stream down her face. She can feel her hands shaking. “Stop it! Stop this now! You’ve lost your mind! You lost any love you ever had for mom!” 

“No, Asami. It’s you who has lost your love for your mother by siding with these benders!” 

His voice is different, low and gravelly. She thinks this man is no longer her father. The arms of the mech straighten, preparing to fire. Asami is frozen. She does not want to hurt her father, but she cannot stand by as he causes more destruction, or worse, more death. She wants nothing more than to stop time and disappear from this world. 

She unleashes her cables, unsteady legs take a fighting stance. “I’ve fought you before. I can do it again.” Her voice cracks between sobs. “Don’t you hurt them.” 

He laughs. “That’s touching. But remember Asami, family first. Are you prepared to kill your own father?”

Her chest tightens. She grips her cables tightly, too tightly. Pain shoots up her arm. She is shaking from the rage in her body. She sobs, releasing all the sadness in her heart. 

“Don’t.” She says too softly for him to hear. “You can change.” Her voice is louder. 

He shakes his head, a sadistic smile on his face. 

Tears blur her vision. Her ears ring, blocking out any noise from the world. She hears someone call her name, but she does not look back to see who is calling. The machines whirs to life, preparing to fire. Asami cannot move her legs, her mouth agape from shock and and an overwhelming sense of sorrow. Her father died many years ago. She does not know this man. 

Someone grabs her arm and pulls her back. She finds herself running, but the world is moving much slower than usual. She watches her feet move before looking back to see a ball of fire coming toward her. She closes her eyes, waiting to feel the fire. Wanting to be engulfed in its heat so it may burn away her pain. A heavy weight throws itself on her, pushing her to the ground. She hits the ground hard, but she does not feel pain. An explosion fills her ears and rocks her body to the bones. She keeps her eyes closed, listing to the muffled screaming. She listens to herself breathing, it is slow and heavy. She puts all her focus on the sound of her breaths. The weight is lifted off her. A sharp slap to the face pulls her out of her dreamlike state. She sits up to see people in different uniforms running past her. Lin’s face is hard, masking whatever emotions she might be feeling. Asami turns to see the legs of the large mech still in place, but its body is nowhere to be found.  

“Kid! Hey! Are you all right?” Lin screams as she pulls Asami to her feet.

Asami nods as she gets to her feet. Sanya is on her knees several meters to her left, a body before her. She covers her mouth, her chest rises and falls with each heavy breath. Shaking her head, Asami can hear her saying ‘no’ repeatedly to herself. Her heart sinks as she drops to her knees. She stomach ties itself into knots as its contents demand to be expelled. 

“Mother. Mother, wake up.” Lin runs to the motionless body, getting to her knees as she reaches for her mother. 

The water bender gets to her feet and walks away keeping her back to Asami. 

“Ma, wake up.” Lin takes her mother’s body in her arms.

A burnt hand touches Lin’s face. Asami covers her mouth, doing her best to keep her sobs silent. She is paralyzed. Memories of her mother’s death plague her. Breathing is difficult and her body aches. She cannot keep her hands still. 

“Linnora, I love you. Take care of the girls. You’re all they have left.” Toph says loudly enough for her to hear. 

“Let me do it, Aunt Toph. Please, let me heal you.” Sanya pleads through tears. 

Blood drips from Toph’s mouth, the skin on her neck is charred. Parts of her clothing still burn. “No, Sanya. No. You can’t. I’m too far gone. You can’t.”

“Please, please, please, please. Auntie. Please.” Sanya begs. The pain in her eyes is an unbearable sight. 

“No. Sanya, not today. I promised. I promised Sokka.”

Sanya walks away and sits several meters away. The rain droplets around her freeze in mid air. Pebble stands to her left, holding back Jet. The wolf’s eyes are on the old earth bender. His howls echo down the street.

“Ma, please. Stay with me.” Lin’s voice cracks. “Please.”

“My darling girl, I’m so proud of you.” Blood in Toph’s throat cracks her words.  

It is the first time Asami has heard such emotion in her voice. Each word feels like a dagger in Asami’s chest. She cannot bear the pain in the woman’s eyes. 

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m not so good at sticking to plans. Take care of our family. I love,” With a sharp inhale, her voice becomes a whisper. 

Lin leans in close. Her mother’s lips move, but Asami cannot hear what they say. Lin simply nods, closing her eyes tightly as tears escape. She runs her hands over her mother face, forever shutting away those cloudy green eyes. 

Asami drops, one hand on the wet ground. The other still on her mouth. She cannot hold back her tears. She hiccups with sobs, unable to breathe properly. Her head aches with pressure, the sharp pain in her chest persists. The sickness in her stomach makes her weak. Her body trembles. 

She is gone. 

“I love you too, ma.” Lin’s voice cracks between whimpers. 

Asami looks up to see Lin clutching the lifeless body of her mother, tears silently streaming down her face. It is too much for her, she thinks has become ill with sorrow. The wolf howls, but the group is silent. 

 

The rain stops falling. The grass is wet under Asami. She sits near a tree, watching raindrops fall from its vines. Her eyes sting with exhaustion. She has no more tears left to shed. Her body aches. Her chest still hiccups with sobs she cannot control. The salty taste of tears lingers in her mouth along with words she cannot speak. The group spent the rest of the night building a funeral pyre, as per Lin’s request. They wait for the sun to rise on a grassy hill near the Beifong home. She looks to her right to see Sanya hugging her legs, she has not said a word since they left the city. The girl’s eyes swim in a pool of red. Pebble stands to her right, still holding back a crying Jet. His whines are painful for her to hear. Lin stands before a funeral pyre, a lit torch in her hand. Asami can almost feel the woman’s pain. The scar left by her own mother’s passing has been reopened. For today, she buries her mother again. 

Toph’s body is laid atop the pyre. She looks at peace. The sun begins to rise over the horizon. Lin takes a step forward and lights the pyre. She drops the torch into the pile of dry leaves below her mother. The metal bender stands with her arms at her side, watching the flames engulf her mother. She thinks she can hear Lin humming a song, a song she does not know. Sanya shudders at her side, hugging her knees tighter. The water bender’s eyes are on the funeral pyre. Jet howls and cries, trying to free himself from Pebble’s grip. The large man is unyielding despite the tears carving valleys of grit on his face. Asami must look away. She cannot watch for fear her heart might stop beating. Her hands dig into the earth. Soft with rain, it becomes the only comfort she has this morning. She focuses on the leafy tendril before her. The leaves on the vine begin to fall, slowly one by one, the leaves from the vine come falling down. 

Their little soldier girl is finally carried home. 

 

 

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Left. Right. Left. Right. The sound of her fists hitting sand is all she can hear. She ignores the vibrant swatches of the sky painted by the setting sun and keeps her eyes on a pool of sand. Sweat drips from her brow and her hands tingle with pain, but she ignores it. Week old wounds scream for attention. Her knees ache from kneeling on gravel all afternoon. She ignores it. All her focus is on her fists hitting sand. Asami grits her teeth as the pain becomes harder to disregard. Every afternoon for the past week, after having done all the chores, Asami comes out to the backyard and punches sand. 

She shuts her eyes tight, colorful strings dance behind her eyelids. Her ears begin to ring. Her fists rain down on the sand. Grains of sand meet raw flesh. The burning sensation crawls up her arm. She lets out an exhausted grunt and falls back. She keeps her eyes shut tightly, inhaling and exhaling. 

“You can earth bend.” A familiar smooth voice says behind her. 

“What?” She quickly gets to her feet and turns around to find Sanya. 

The water bender pulls on her arm sleeve as she stares at a small block of earth near the pool of sand Asami has been attacking. She can see small pools of blood through the fabric of Sanya’s arm sleeves. Her shirt is torn at the hem and her boots covered in mud. 

“I didn’t.” Her voice is cold. 

“But,” Sanya points to the small block of stone. “You did.”

“I didn’t.” Asami dusts herself off. 

“I saw it.”

“No, you didn’t because you’re never here.” 

“I’ve been...” Her voice shakes.

“Where? Where have you been? Because it’s definitely not here.” She stomps past the water bender. 

From the corner of her eye she can see the girl standing with her mouth agape, wet eyes look for words she cannot find. 

Asami storms into the kitchen, doing her best to bury any thoughts and emotions. She walks to the sink and begins washing dishes. She has spent the past week doing all the house chores, never having a moment of rest. 

One plate. Two spoons. A bowl. A knife. 

Sanya follows. She watches her through the reflection in the window. Her jaw tightens. 

“I know I haven’t been around much,”

“You haven’t been around at all. So, don’t tell me you saw something when clearly you weren’t around to see it.” 

Asami watches Sanya rush out of the kitchen, unable to see her face in the blurry reflection. She focuses on the dishes. A door slams. 

Three plates. Two forks. A mug. 

She looks down at her hands. The skin around her knuckles burns. Raw pink skin bleeds into the sink. She turns around, mug still in hand. Her eyes look over the five chairs at the counter. She looks into the dining room. She closes her eyes and sees the couches in the living room and the table at the Jasmine Dragon tea shop. An empty chair at all the tables. 

She drops the mug. A shattering crash breaks the silence in the house. Toph’s smiling face flashes in her mind. She sinks to her knees, covering her mouth with a soapy hand. Tears force themselves out of tightly shut eyes. She tries to stay quiet, but her body is too exhausted to put forth the extra effort. She clutches a jagged piece of ceramic. It digs into her palm. A crimson river runs down her arm. Her chest tightens. Breathing becomes difficult as her body shakes with each sob. She hears Toph’s hearty laugh in her mind knowing she will never hear it again. She wants to believe Sanya. She wants to believe she really did earth bend. The thought that Toph will never see her do it shatters her heart into a million pieces. She no longer tries to suppress her sobs. She sits alone on the floor of the kitchen as the sun sets. Her bloodied hand refusing to let go of the piece of the broken mug. 

A strong hand rubs her shoulder. “Hey Asami, it’s alright.” Lin’s voice is not stern and commanding, but soft and comforting. 

She allows herself to fall into Lin’s arms. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s just a mug kid. I can get a new one.”

“No! Not the mug! Lin,” A lump in her throat blocks her words. 

“No, no. Nothing to be sorry about. You didn’t do anything.”

“That’s the point! I froze, Lin. I froze. I should’ve moved. I should’ve,” Asami chokes on her tears. 

“No. Don’t apologize for that. None of this is your fault. You are not your father.” Lin pulls away, holding onto the girl’s shoulders. “Okay?”

Asami’s sobs intensify. Wet eyes are desperate for forgiveness as they spill their apologies down the girl’s face. “Lin, please.”

The metal bender holds up a hand to silence her, tears stream down her face. “You did nothing wrong. None of this was your fault. I never want you think that.”

Her shoulders shake from a sharp inhale. She shakes her head, unable to form words. A tightness in her chest makes her breathing jagged. Small whimpers escape from her mouth.

“You know this isn’t something she would have wanted to see from you. She loved you like one of her own. And you know what?” 

The girl does her best to contain the flooding river of tears in her body.

“Her love with always be with you. Just like your mother’s. Don’t ever forget that.” 

Asami collapses into Lin’s arms, arms like sturdy iron poles. She shakes violently with each sob. The metal bender rubs her back, rubbing away all the old wounds and aches. She wipes away tears and nods. She looks up to see Lin’s worried eyes. Eyes like stepping in her favorite patch of grass. 

“Just give this to me and we’ll get you all cleaned up.” Lin puts a gloved hand over Asami’s bloodied fist. 

She nods, her hand slowly unfurls to release the shard. She allows Lin to help her to her feet, the metal bender acts as her crutch. She cannot stop shaking as she walks with Lin through the house. She wants to say something, but her aching head scrambles all her words. 

“Li, can you clean up the mess in the kitchen please.” Lin asks the man as he sweeps the foyer. “Our girl needs a break.”

Pebble nods and pats Asami’s shoulder before making his way to the kitchen. 

“You’re made of stone kid. But that doesn’t mean water can’t heal you too.” 

Lin’s words sends her back into a crying fit. 

 

Asami lies on her side, awake inher bed. Her eyes are heavy and sting from exhaustion. She stares at the bandage on her hands. It is plain white gauze. No sky bisons tonight. Tears roll down her face forming a pool on her pillow, like they have done for the past week. The scene plays over in her head. Fuzzy images repeating themselves. She grits her teeth. ‘ _Move Asami. Scream. Fight. Run. Just do something!’_ She thinks. 

But she does not move. She does not scream. She does not fight. She does not know how much longer she can go on like this. Throwing the blankets aside, she sits up on the edge of the bed. Her chest rises and falls with each breath. Her fingers clutch the bedding. She makes her way out the door, but he stops in her tracks. She presses her back against the door. 

Sanya stands against the door to her room. Her mouth opens to say something, but her words are caught in her throat. Her eyes are red and puffy, wetness causes the blue to glisten in low light. She takes a step toward the other girl. 

“I’m sorry.” Sanya says quickly as she leans onto her door and heads back into her room.

“Wait!” Asami says a little too loudly. 

She is quick to follow the water bender into her room. She slips in behind her and closes the door. 

“Sanya, wait.” She clutches the door knob. 

This is the first time Asami has been in her room. Photos and posters of her family hang over a desk by her bed. Books and scrolls crowd the floor by a large book case. The night bleeds its dark blue shade onto the walls. Constellations and an ever watchful full moon adorn the wall opposite the bed. A large dog bed lies near the far wall, but no large wolf lies in it tonight. A large stuffed badger mole lies at the head of her bed. Patches of its fur are soaked. 

She stands in awe as her eyes scan the room. She meets troubled sapphire eyes. They look away. Sanya clutches her arms. A curtain of black and white hair hide her face. 

“Can we talk?” 

Silence. 

“Sanya? Where have you been?” Asami’s voice rises. 

“Out.” 

“Out? That’s your answer? Out?” 

The water bender holds onto her arms a little tighter. 

“That’s all you have to say? And what were you doing while you were out?”

Sanya shakes her head no. “Things I shouldn’t have been doing.” She says so softly Asami can barely hear her. 

“Sanya, can you talk to me please? I know I blew up earlier but,”

“I broke my promise.” Sanya whispers. 

“What?

“I broke my promise.”

Asami takes a step back. Her mouth hangs open with wide eyes. She takes a moment to search her memory for Sanya’s promise. 

“I told you I’d be by your side no matter what, that I’d stick around. But I didn’t. I ran off.” She turns her back to her. 

“Oh Sanya.” Asami covers her face with her hands. There is heaviness in her chest, her vision blurs as raindrops form behind emerald eyes. 

“Aunt Toph is gone, probably because of me, and I broke my promise to you. What’ll I do next? Destroy Pebble’s garden? Crash auntie’s car? Lose Jet?” Wet eyes look up. Her jew tightens. “Hurt you?” She looks away. “I couldn’t be here.” Her voice cracks. 

“No, no, no. Sanya, please no. You didn’t. It’s not your fault.” Tears fall from her eyes. 

“But it is!” She turns to Asami. “I couldn’t heal her.” 

A lump in her throat prevents her from speaking. She shakes her head, wanting to tell the other girl it was her fault for not taking out her father when she had the chance. 

She walks to the water bender and takes her by the arms. Her fingers dig into cold skin. “Her death is not your fault, do you understand me?” She begins lightly shaking the girl. Sanya’s body is unusually limp. “Do you understand!” Her voice is shaky.

The water bender nods yes, still avoiding Asami’s gaze. 

“Look at me.” 

Sanya does not obey.

“Please.” 

Wet sapphire orbs ask forgiveness in a manner her mouth could never convey. 

“You didn’t break your promise. You didn’t.” Asami releases her grip and turns her back to Sanya. Exhaustion begins to set in, her feet become unsteady. “To be honest, I didn’t want to face any of you. I couldn’t look at anyone.” The past week is a blurry memory. One chore after the other fills her mind. She was completely numb. “You can’t stand by someone who kept moving.”

“I could’ve moved with you.” Sanya’s voice is soft.

Asami shakes her head, tears rapidly falls from her face. “No, you couldn’t have.” She sinks onto the bed still shaking her head. The scene plays over and over again in her head. She shuts her eyes tight, hoping they will vanish. 

“Asami?” Sanya’s voice is lower than usual. 

“I should’ve moved or screamed or something,”

“You think this is your fault?”

She nods yes. Her shoulders shake with every whimper.

The girls are silent. Asami cannot keep herself from crying. She furiously rubs her eyes. 

 Sanya kneels at her feet. “I think we all feel that way. At least a little bit.” She lays a gentle hand on Asami’s knee. “I can understand why you would feel it a little more.” The water bender wipes tears from her face. “I don’t think Aunt Toph would want this, especially from us.” 

She watches the water bender on her knees. She keeps her eyes on the floor. She moves white hair out of her face and forces her to look up. Her eyes dart from left to right before being caught in Asami’s gaze. She leans forward, wedging herself between her legs and wraps her arms around her waist. Asami rests her chin on Sanya’s head and strokes her hair. She focuses on her breathing. Inhale. Hiccup. Exhale. Sanya’s breaths are quick and unsteady. She can feel the girl’s tears soaking into her shirt. 

Sanya releases her grip. She bends the wetness from Asami’s shirt and creates a small rose made of ice. “I don’t know why I thought that would help.” 

A small grin appears on Asami’s face as she places the icy flower on the bed beside her. “It did. Look.” She points to her mouth. “First time in a week.”

The water bender smiles, still wiping tears from her face.

Asami reaches for the stuffed badger mole. Its soft fur rivals Jet’s. Memories of the cave come back to her. Her grin widens. She hands the toy to Sanya. 

“You’re not going to make fun of me for it?” 

“Not tonight. Did Aunt Toph give it to you?”

She nods. 

The girls stare at the toy as Sanya turns it in her hands. Each girl recalls memories of their fallen earth bender. 

Asami’s brow furrows. “Where were you going?”

Sanya wipes her face on her arm sleeves. “I didn’t want to sleep alone tonight. What about you?”

“Same.” 

The water bender gets to her feet, clutching the badger mole in one hand and holding out the other. Asami takes it without hesitation. She pulls on the girl’s arm, causing her to turn around. The heiress rubs the blood stains on Sanya’s arm sleeves. The water bender’s downcast eyes refuse to look up. 

“I don’t know which is worse. If you did this or someone else.” 

The other girl meets Asami’s eyes. A single tear rolls down her face and off a tense jaw. Asami squeezes her hand. She can think of nothing else to do. 

They leave room and tip-toe down the hall. The door to Toph’s room is ajar. Asami takes the lead. She knocks on the door, her gentle taps echo throughout the quiet home. 

“Yeah.” Lin’s voice is raspy, her words laced with fatigue. 

Asami pushes the door open. Lin sits on her mother’s large bed. Red silk blankets are pulled over her lap as she leans on the headboard. A small lamp on a nightstand illuminates a photo in her hand. Jet lies motionless at her feet. The wolf whines at the sight of the girls. She stands in the doorway and keeps her eyes on the metal bender. Lin does not look up. She throws aside one corner of the blanket and moves aside. The girls are quick to enter the room. 

Asami nestles beside Lin. Sanya walks around the bed, lying her head on Lin’s lap. Jet scoots over to the girl, pushing the badger mole aside and forcing his way under her arm. Asami hesitates to sit to too closely to Lin. The metal bender exhales. Her the steel demeanor melts away with that breath. Asami relaxes and rests her head on Lin’s shoulder. 

She cannot help but stare at the photo. She raises an eyebrow. For a moment she thinks she sees herself. A young woman with wavy, jet black hair and bright green eyes smiles at her. She wears a dark metal bending uniform, free of any nicks and scratches. She has her arm around an older woman. The older woman wears her ebony hair in a bun, bangs cover her eyes. Her toothy grin is unmistakable. A commanding finger points at the photographer. 

There is a knock at the door. It swings open. Pebble walks in with tears on his face, clutching a torn white shirt. 

“Come on,” Lin pauses as she waves him over. “Pebble.” 

The hulking man sniffles and shuts the door. He settles into a large armchair beside a looming dresser. 

Asami’s eyes dart from the photo, to Sanya and her wolf, to Pebble silently clutching his shirt. Her eyes settle on the photo. 

“It took us a long time to finally get this photo. Mom kept making me laugh.” Lin says. “Uncle Sokka was so determined to make sure it was perfect, but he had no idea how to work the camera.”

Her mouth curls into a smile. She eyes Sanya. The girl’s back shudders, releasing stray sobs. 

“We went around the whole block to find a good spot. We ended up in the first spot we tried.” Lin’s voice is soft, its usual metallic tone gone. Silent tears run down her face while she reminisces. 

“Just like grumps.” Sanya’s exhale carries her words. 

“I can still hear them arguing. ‘Sokka, this better be perfect!’” Lin tries to mimic her mother’s voice. “‘Make sure you get Linnora in her new uniform!’ She just gave it to me that day.” She adds.” Then Uncle Sokka, being Uncle Sokka, said ‘Toph! You can’t see it anyway!’” She lets out a small laugh as she wipes away tears. 

Sanya’s body relaxes, the muscles in her shoulders and back no longer strain against her shirt. Pebble’s soft snoring is nearly a whisper. 

“I miss her.” Asami says quietly. “I know you do too, more than I do. I can’t say I know how you feel, but I understand. You don’t have to be our rock all the time.”

The metal bender puts her hand over Asami’s. “I know.”

Asami closes her eyes with a small grin. She sees nothing. The only sounds she hears are Pebble’s occasional snores. There are no memories. No what ifs or should have beens play out in her mind.

Nothing. 

 

Her eyes flicker open. The room is blurry. Asami rubs away the sleep her eyes before sitting up at the head of the bed. Sanya lies face up, near her feet. Her long legs dangle off the bed. Jet lies awake near her head, silently watching his human sleep. Lin and Pebble are gone, leaving the girls to sleep. 

The framed photo lies beside the heiress. She picks it up. Her fingers run over the sterling silver frame. The worlds greatest earth and metal benders beam at her from the past. The Republic City police station looms behind them. Blurry cars are caught driving past the building as the mother and daughter pose for the photo. She bites her lip, recalling Lin’s anecdote from the previous night. 

“Determined to make it perfect.” She says to herself. “The first spot…”

She is quick to place the photo on the nightstand. 

“Sanya!” She shakes the water bender. “Wake up!” 

The girl doesn’t budge. Jet gets to his feet and jumps to the floor.

“Sanya!” She says louder this time. “Jet, help me out here.”

The wolf tilts his head, then barks in response. 

“Sanya!” She lightly slaps the girl’s face. 

The girl’s eyes are slow to open. “What?” She whispers.

She shakes her one last time. 

Sanya sits up. Her eyes are slow to open. “This is really not how I imagined it would be like waking up next to you in bed.” 

Asami rises an eyebrow, blood rushing to her face. “What?”

The water bender freezes. Her eyes widen as her face becomes the same shade of red as the blankets. “Nothing!” She scoots back. “What’s wrong, did something happen? Why’d you wake me up so early?”

“Because you need to hear this too.” She grabs the water bender by the hand and pulls her out the door. “Come on Jet!”

The wolf bounds after them as they make for the kitchen. 

Lin sits at the kitchen counter with a cup of tea and a newspaper. Jet rushes into the kitchen and sits by the woman’s feet, waiting for head rubs. The woman complies. Pebble, in his trademark apron, tends to vase of flowers by the sink. Asami pulls a sluggish Sanya into the room. 

“We have to go back to Republic City. I know after everything that’s just happened we should stay, but we have to go back.” 

Lin turns around to face her. Pebble carries the vase to the counter. She feels Sanya’s hand leave her own as the other girl moves to an empty chair beside her aunt. 

“I never thought you’d be so excited to say that.” Lin says. 

“My father and the rest of them will attack Republic City and they’ll do it big. All their little hits here have been tests.” Her eyes dart from one confused face to another. “Each time they’ve attacked, they’ve had something different, something new. They were testing their equipment.” The heiress begins to pace. “He wanted to make sure everything was perfect before he went back and made his final punch.” She slams a fist onto the kitchen counter. 

“How do you know he’ll go back to Republic City to do this?” Pebble asks. 

Asami takes a step back. She did not expect the question from him. “That’s where it all started. If I know my father he’ll finish where he starts. He wants to make sure the avatar knows.”

Pebble nods. 

“I know he’s ready now. He’ll be on his way, moving all his stuff. The last time he,” Asami pauses. A lump in her throat brings tears to her eyes. 

They are silent. 

She stands up straighter and wipes her eyes dry. “After that, I know he thinks he’s winning. We have to go back.”

Lin nods. “It’ll take some time for him to move everything.”

Sanya sinks in her chair, her arms crossed over her chest. Pebble focuses on his flowers. 

“Why the long face?” Lin asks her niece. “You’d normally make a bad joke right about now.”

The water bender shrugs. “I guess I just forgot you guys would be leaving. Which is stupid.” She waves a hand and straightens up in her chair. “I guess I didn’t think you’d be leaving so soon.”

The metal bender calmly rolls her newspaper into a tube. She turns to her niece, and in one swift motion hits the girl’s head with the newspaper. 

“What!” Sanya protests. 

“You’re coming with us.” She looks to the large man behind the flowers. “All of you are coming with us. I think it would be best for us to stick together in case he tries to pull something.” She takes a deep breath. “And especially now that mom’s gone, we need to stay together.”  

Pebble grins. Sanya sinks further into her chair. She does her best to hold back a grin. Jet whines for attention. The wolf’s whining stops when Pebble turns to a cabinet and takes out a dog bowl. Their eyes turn back to Asami. 

“That means you,” Lin points to Asami. “Should stay on Air Temple island with us for a while when we get back. Okay?” 

She nods, her mind completely occupied by a thought to pay much attention to what was said. “Well, I’m guessing some of the company’s best engineers are loyal to my father. He has the upper hand when it comes to that.” Asami begins to pace the room again. 

A gentle hand takes hers. It stops her mid-step. 

“But we have you.” Sanya’s large blue eyes look up at her. 

She thanks the girl with a smile. 

“She’s right.” Lin breaks the girls’ eye contact. Sanya drops Asami’s hand. “They underestimate you, for whatever reason. We can use that to our advantage.” 

“And she can earth bend now. I saw it, she earth bent.” The water bender adds “Bended? Earth bended?” She scratches her head. “No, no. Bent.” 

“Is that true?” Lin straightens her back. 

Asami’s mouth is agape, her eyes dart from Lin to Sanya to Pebble. Their eyes like searing spotlights, burn her skin. She wants to believe she did it, but she cannot be sure if she can do it again. 

“I don’t know. I was totally zoned out and I just really don’t know.” 

“I see.” Lin’s eyes stay down, looking for answers on the floor. “It’s not like you need it anyway kid.” 

“Asami and I do pretty well without bending, isn’t that right dear?” Pebble winks at the girl. 

“That we do.” She shoots him a grin.

Lin rises from her seat like a queen from her throne. “Well, I have some phone calls to make. Start packing now, we’ll be out of here in three days.”

Pebble clears his throat, a sound like a low rumble of a growling bear. He motions to his flowers while keeping eye contact with Lin. 

“I’ll call Mai and Chan and ask if they can take care of the house and,” Her hand waves toward the flowers. “That.” 

“It is much appreciated Linnora.” He bows and pours bits of meat and bread into Jet’s food bowl before following Lin into the other room. 

Asami, Sanya, and Jet are left in the kitchen. Asami promptly sits in the chair opposite Sanya, making sure the other girl is forced to look at her. 

“Are we okay?” 

Sanya looks down at her feet. 

“I’m sorry I blew up on you. And you didn’t break your promise. If I know you as well as I think I do, I know you never will.” She looks down at the wolf. “What do you think Jet?” 

The wolf perks up at the sound of his name, leaving his food to stare at the girls. 

“Oh fine. You always take her side!” Sanya feigns anger with furrowed brows and a smile. 

Asami gets to her feet, holding out her hand. “We’ve got some packing to do.” 

 

An exact replica of Republic City stares her down as she she sits on the ferry. Asami cannot help but add small details to her sketch. She sighs, causing a strand of hair to rise and fall back into her face. She takes a small mirror from her purse and holds it up to her face. The bandage around her palm makes it difficult for her to hold it properly. She checks her make-up. It has been so long since she last wore it and putting it on with one good hand was no easy task. She rubs her lips together and tosses the mirror back into her purse. 

She looks to the sleeping water bender beside her. She grins as she watches Sanya’s nose crinkle then relax. She turns her attention to the shrinking dock. She leans on the large window, her breath fogging the glass. The setting sun covers the dock in a blanket of soft colorful light. She is glad the ferry moves like a snail over hot pavement, she is in no hurry to get to Air Temple Island. She rubs her forehead as she wonders how she will tell Sanya about Mako. 

“You’re really good.” A sleepy voice says beside her. 

Asami looks at her sketch of the city. Eraser trails and sloppily executed pencil marks are all she can see. 

“Oh thanks. This is nothing.”

“Well, if that’s nothing I’m scared to see what something is. Might make me cry.” Sanya teases, adjusting her arm sleeves. 

She playfully pushes the other girl away with a grin. She expects a witty rebuttal from the girl, but she only smiles. Her eyes are low as her chews on her bottom lip. 

The grin vanishes from Asami’s face. “Something wrong? Have a bad dream?”

“No, I forgot that you’re Asami Sato.”

“What?” She giggles. 

The water bender slaps her forehead with her palm. “That made more sense in my head.” She slumps in her seat, exhaling her sudden embarrassment. “I forgot who you are here. That you’re the heiress to this huge company and that you’re pretty famous.”

“I’m just a girl.” She puts her hand on Sanya’s.

The water bender finally looks up, her eyes reflect the sunset. “Not to me.” She furiously shakes her head. “You’ll never be _just_ a girl to me.” She looks down at her feet, blood rushing to her face. 

She cannot contain a grin, she forgets about her past heartaches. Her cheeks flush the same shade of red as Sanya’s. Before she can respond, the water bender is on her feet making her way to the door. 

She pauses and turns to Asami, pulling her arm sleeves. “Umm. That day, when you woke up after the badger mole thing.” She chews over her words. Her eyes stay glued to the floor.  

She watches the girl. She cannot help but smirk. She crosses her arms over her chest, throwing one leg over the other. “Yes?” Mischief lines her voice.

“When you, you know. I mean, when we,” 

Asami nods, knowing exactly what the girl is talking about. “What?”

“When we,” 

Asami gets to her feet and throws her arms around Sanya’s neck. It is the only thing she can think to do. She buries her face into the nape of her neck, inhaling the smell of lavender and lilies. Hands glide down her back. Strong arms squeeze her as the embrace is retuned. The water bender’s heart beats through her chest, quicker than Asami expected. She shuts her eyes, forgetting everything this city holds for her. She presses her body harder against Sanya’s, feeling her warmth and listening to her heartbeat. Her body aches to hold her closer. She releases her grip, keeping her arms slung around the girl’s neck. Sanya grins, her lips part to let out a sigh. Asami feels her warm breath on her skin. Chewing on her bottom lip, she stares at the girl’s mouth. Asami hesitates. Her mind holds her back, but her body urges her forward. A nagging in the pit of her stomach silences the doubts in her mind. She leans in, Sanya’s exhales cooling the skin on her lips. Every nerve in her body is alert. She feels as though she finally has a cool glass of water on a hot summer’s day. But before she can put her lips to glass, there is a knock at the door. 

“Hey, you two awake?” Lin’s voice is muffled from behind the door.

“Yeah!” Asami quickly answers as she takes a step back, keeping her hands behind her back. 

Sanya stands dumbfounded beside the door as the metal bender slides it open. The girl keels over, supporting herself by holding her knees. The craving in Asami’s body has only intensified. 

“We’re almost there. Might want to pack up.” Lin pokes her head through the door. “You okay?” 

Sanya lets out a long sigh. “Yeah.” She straightens up, covering her mouth.

Asami’s beams as she puts a finger to her lips.  

“I’m gonna go check on Jet.” Sanya turns to the door, keeping her eyes on her feet. 

Asami cannot contain a grin as she watches the girl breathe heavily. She licks her bottom lip before biting it. “Sanya.”

The water bender looks up with bright red cheeks. 

“Does that answer your question?” Her mouth curls into a mischievous grin. 

“I asked a question?” She runs her hands through her hair before shaking out the daze in her eyes.“Jet. Have to check on Jet now.” She tries to squeeze her way past Lin. 

“Why do I always walk in on you two doing that?” The metal bender says as she closes the door. 

“Yes! Auntie Linnora! Why!” Asami hears Sanya scream from down the hall. 

She falls into the seat while giggling. She is glad to be able to laugh again, but a tinge of guilt comes over her. A lone rain cloud of guilt on a sunny day, memories of the past fall like a light drizzle. She tosses her sketchbook and pencil into her purse. A faint clinking comes from her purse. Peeking inside, an equalist glove greets her. With a disgruntled sigh, she slings her purse over her shoulder and takes the two large bags stored in the shelves above the seats. She shuffles out of the compartment and makes her way to the main deck, lugging the suitcases behind her. 

“Hey, now. I’ll take these.” Pebble comes from her left with a warm smile.

“Thanks.” She says as he takes the bags. 

“Lin and Sanya are over there.” He throws his head back.

Asami nods and walks past him. She is slow to make her way over to the edge of the ferry. A cool salty breeze hits her face. She clutches her coat closer to her body as the cold air nips at her exposed skin. The scent of smoke and iron are carried by the breeze. The scent causes a montage of memories to play out in her head. An odd wave of unrecognizable emotion fills her. Soft whining takes her out of her daydream

“Hey, Jet.” She rubs the wolf’s head. “Do you even know where we are, buddy?” Jet follows her as she walks toward Lin and Sanya. 

She watches the metal bender talk to her niece, her iron gaze softened by gentle water. The wolf runs to them, announcing Asami’s arrival. 

“Are you alright?” Lin asks patting her shoulder. 

Asami nods, keeping her eyes on the ground. “It feels weird to be back.” She shakes her head. “I don’t know why. It just does.”

The metal bender nods. “Same city, different girl.” She walks away. 

“Everything all right? You zoned out there for a minute.” Sanya’s voice calls out. 

“Yeah, I just really didn’t think I’d be back here so soon.”

“Same.” The water bender leans over the ferry’s railing. 

Asami links her arm around Sanya’s as she watches the dock to Air Temple Island grow larger. Their welcome party stands just off the dock. Barely recognizable figures wave at them. Asami raises an uncertain hand. She lowers it when she sees a figure with a familiar red scarf. 

She exhales deeply. “Sanya, I have to tell you something.” 

The girl turns to Asami, a soft smile on her face. 

She opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out. 

“Sanya! Help me with the bags!” Pebble screams from somewhere Asami cannot see. 

“Hold that thought. We’ll talk later okay?” 

A nervous grin creeps onto Asami’s face as she nods yes. ‘ _There won’t be a later,’_ she thinks. 

The ferry begins to slow to a stop as air acolytes on shore help the crew dock the boat. She jams her hands into her pocket as she makes her way off the boat. A firm hand squeezes her shoulder. 

“You didn’t tell her about the fire bender boy did you?”

Asami says nothing. Her eyes dart from side to side as she avoids Lin’s infamous steel gaze. 

The metal bender punches the girl’s arm. She shakes her head as she walks down the ramp onto the dock. 

She follows and keeps her eyes on the ground. 

“Asami!” A familiar voice calls out.

Bolin runs across the dock with open arms. The rest of their welcome party wait patiently on the shore behind him. 

He throws his meaty arms around her neck. “I missed you! Team Avatar’s back together!” 

She returns the embrace. “I missed you too.” 

The boy releases his grip. “What happened?” He takes Asami’s hand’s inspecting the bandages and small scabs. 

Asami chews on her lips, thinking of an excuse. “I just had a little accident is all.” She shoves her hands into her pockets. “Sorry I didn’t call more. I was a bit busy.” 

She hears Sanya behind her. She cannot resist looking back. 

“Busy huh?” The earth bender elbows her in the ribs. 

“Shut up Bo.” She hides her face in her hands. 

Bolin continues to talk as they walk back to shore. She looks up to see Mako and Korra standing hand in hand beside Avatar Aang’s family. She smiles at the couple, clenching her fists in her coat pocket. She flinches as pain jolts up her arm. 

“Hello auntie.” Lin’s cool voice falters as she stoops down to kiss her aunt on the cheek. 

“Oh, my brave soldier girl.” Katara hugs the metal bender. Asami can see tears forming in the old woman’s eyes. 

The heiress lowers her head. “Sifu Katara.”

“Oh, Asami. No need for that. How are you?”

She did not want to lie, but she did not want to tell her the truth. She tries to smile with the hope the woman would understand. 

Katara only nods. “I’ll heal that up for you after dinner.” She pats Asami’s wrist. 

“Thank you.” 

“Aunt Katara!” Sanya puts a suitcase down and rushes to the master water bender. 

“Sanya, you’re so tall now!” 

The girl lifts the old woman off the ground in an embrace. A sad grin manifests on Asami’s face. Sanya’s smile momentarily drops. She shuts her eyes. For a moment, her mask drops. The sorrow in her heart manifests on her face.

“Sanya! Put my mother down!” Tenzin screams with a red face.

“Oh uncle.” Sanya sets her aunt down. Her happy facade is up again. “Nice to see you too. And Pema!” She gives the woman a quick hug. “Are you sure you’re not an air bender too?”

Tenzin’s wife raises an eyebrow. “Of course not. Why do you ask?”

“Because your beauty blows me away!”

“Would it kill you to say things like that to me sometimes?” She scowls at her husband. 

“I like her.” Bolin says with a pride in his voice.

“Spirits Sanya!” Lin smacks a palm into her head. The woman exhales. “It’s good to have you back.” She whispers to the girl.  

“Well, we’ve got a big dinner waiting for us. Let’s get going shall we?” Pema adds. 

Sanya locks eyes with Asami as she chews on her bottom lip. She winks. Asami returns the gesture. 

“You must be Bolin?” Sanya sticks out her hand.

“The one and only!” The boy beams as he takes the water bender’s hand and shakes it. 

A flaming red ferret pokes its head out of Bolin’s shirt and scurries down his arm, sniffing Sanya’s hand. 

“And who is this?” Sanya scratches its head. 

“This is Pabu!” 

“And this is my furry friend, Jet.” She swings around to find the wolf cowering behind her legs. “He’s shy around strangers. Please excuse us.” 

She gets to her knees and begins stroking the wolf’s fur. She gets to her feet and herds Jet away from the group. 

“She seems really cool. How did she do that to her hair?”

“It’s just like that. Are you thinking about coloring your hair?”

“Well, not that I’m already fabulous as it is, but I wouldn’t mind a new look.” 

Asami and Bolin laugh. She misses hearing his laugh and seeing his face. 

“Won’t this be a bit awkward though?” Bolin asks as the group begins to walk back to Tenzin’s home. 

“What?”

“Well, your current flame and your old flame in the same house. She seems pretty cool knowing she’ll have to live with your ex-boyfriend for a while. I wonder how my brother will take that.”

Asami hears heavy footsteps scraping gravel behind her. She turns quickly to see Sanya stumble. She freezes once she is stable, wide eyes locked onto Asami’s. The girl’s mouth hangs open as panic spreads through her body. 

“I’m gonna help them with the bags.” She turns quickly, bumping into Korra. 

“Oh, hey Korra. Long time no see.” Sanya’s voice is higher than usual.

“When did you get so tall?” The avatar asks with a pout. “Why is everyone so tall!”

Sanya shrugs. Her eyes float to the boy beside the avatar. “You must be Bolin’s brother.” 

Asami is frozen, her mind a hurricane of thoughts. 

“Yeah. Mako.” The fire bender holds out a hand.

The water bender grasps his hand, shaking it quickly. Asami’s eyes are glued to their hands, Mako’s pale hand gripped tightly by Sanya’s bronze fingers. She can see the light in the girl’s eyes go out as her shoulders drop. 

“I have to help with the bags and Jet’s a bit weird right now. We’ll catch up later Korra.” Sanya walks quickly to nearest air acolyte with a bag. 

“Oh no. No, no, no. I did it again didn’t I? I am so sorry.” Bolin begins to plead.

Asami exhales, unaware that she has been holding her breath. “It’s not your fault Bo. I didn’t tell her. It’s my fault.”

“But,”

“No. It’s my fault. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Her words are slow.

Bolin links his arm around hers as the walk silently up the dirt path to Tenzin’s home. The gears in her mind grind to think of a way to talk to Sanya. 

“Hey!” Korra calls out as she appears at Asami’s side. “Nice to have you back.”

“Yeah. Nice to see you again. Thanks for letting us stay at your place by the way.” Mako adds. 

The girl forces a smile. The couple return the hollow gesture and walk past her. She wants to say she is happy for them, but her mind wanders. Jet appears at her side, tongue wagging from his mouth. He butts his head on her leg and whines. Her grin is sincere this time. 

“So, you think he’ll get along with Pabu and Naga?” 

“He will. He’s a sweetheart.” She looks back, searching for Sanya. She is nowhere to be found. “Just like his human.”

They walk the rest of the way up in silence. Asami listens to stray bits of conversation from the adults. Tenzin recalls the goings on of the city in their absence. Pebble asks harmless questions while Lin answers with the least amount of words possible. They do their best to avoid asking Lin about her mother, yet they try so hard to fish for details. They are fishing in a pool of rocks, no amount of bait will land them a catch. 

The air bending children run toward the group as they near the house. Meelo waves at her, a coy smile on his face. She winks at him, a genuine smirk shines on her face. He runs off to join his sisters. She can hear them questioning Sanya behind her. The water bender’s voice is unsteady, doing her best to entertain the children. Asami’s shoulders drop. She fights the urge to pull Sanya aside and tell her everything. 

“Bo, I’m kind of tired. I think I’ll head to my room.”

“Are you sure? I made sweet rolls!” 

Asami raises an eyebrow. 

“By made, I mean I made the trip to buy them.” The boy does his best to flash an innocent grin. 

“Save me some okay? We’ll catch up later?” She waves goodbye as she walks to the girls’ dormitory with Jet right behind her. 

She does not look back to see if Bolin is waving back. She does not look back when whispers questioning her sudden departure float by her ears. She does look back when a steady hand lands on her shoulder. 

“Are you all right?” Lin’s voice is softer than usual.

She nods. “I’m just tired. I’m going to rest up a bit. Is that okay?” She keeps her eyes down. She is no match for Lin’s iron gaze. 

“I’ll check up on you in a bit.” Lin squeeze’s the girl’s shoulder before letting go and walking back toward the house. 

Asami slows her pace as she enters the dormitory. She wanders the halls, cursing herself for not asking about her room. She curses herself for not telling Sanya. She curses herself for making a scene. 

“Excuse me, “ She catches the attention of an air acolyte. “I am staying here for a few days, my name is Asami Sato would you happen to know where my room is?” 

The woman stares at her in silence. Her large eyes dart from the heiress to the large wolf at her side. “They didn’t tell you?” 

“No, ma’am. I sort of ran off before asking.” She tugs at her coat sleeve. Her eyes widen after she realizes what she has done. She jams her hands into her coat pockets. 

“I see.” The woman picks up her robes and turns around. “Follow me.” 

They walk to the end of the corridor. The woman stops before a door.

“Thank you.” Asami begins to make her way into her room. “Come on Jet.” 

“I think you need to clear your chakras.”

The girl freezes, her face contorts with confusion. “I don’t actually know what those are.”

The woman only nods before disappearing down the hall. 

Her luggage has been stacked neatly beside the door. Jet makes himself comfortable beside an old dresser. The austere room is just as she remembers it, reflecting the simplicity air nomads valued so long ago. 

She drops her purse on the small bed and wanders to the window. Buildings of all sorts look like a child’s building blocks across the water. She takes a deep breath, knowing she will have to go another company meeting. Memories of her father flood her mind. 

“What do I do Jet?” She looks over to the wolf, his head tilts to one side at the sound of her voice. “I should just tell her right now. What do you think?” 

The wolf whines then lets out a soft bark. 

Asami bangs her head on the wall before rushing to the door. “Stay here Jet, I’ll,” Her exit is stopped short by a warm body. 

Her hands land on the cold skin of bare biceps and soft fabric of an arm sleeve. 

“Sorry.” Sanya takes a step back with her eyes on the floor. 

Asami does the same. She keeps her eyes on the water bender. “It’s alright.”

“Your bag. Sorry, I thought it was mine.” She holds up a small make-up bag. 

“I can see how you would think that. You are quite the make-up enthusiast.” She tries to joke. 

A weak grin is all Sanya can muster. “I’ll just leave this here.” She places the bag atop a large suitcase before motioning for the wolf to come to her. He does not budge. “He’s probably too exhausted to move. Is it okay if he stays here for a while?” 

“Yeah, totally fine.”

“I should go.”

“Wait!” Asami takes a step forward, reaching for Sanya’s hand. She stops short just as the water benders faces her. “Is it okay if you stay here for a while too?”

The water bender nods. She closes the door behind her and standing stiff as statute. 

Asami takes a deep breath. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about him.”

Sanya nods as she keeps her eyes on Jet. 

“It slipped my mind.” 

“You could tell me about Bolin, but his brother totally slipped your mind? I get it, I’m not mad.”

“You’re lying. You have every right to be mad.”

“Then, I’m kinda mad.”

“I didn’t think it would be a big deal.” Asami holds her coat a little tighter. Her voice is a little louder. 

“Right. So, I’m just supposed to be okay with everything now?”

“No, I guess not.”

“You guess not.” Sanya scoffs. 

“What am I supposed to tell you? Yeah, we dated and I liked him. But he tossed me aside like a toy and now he’s dating Korra. What more do you need me to say?”

“Would have been nice to tell me on the train. Or maybe on the ferry?” 

“Well, it’s not a big deal. Right?” 

“Maybe not to you.” Sanya turns to the door.

“What?”

The girl bangs her head on the door. Asami watches her back rise and fall with heavy breaths.

“Look at him.” Sanya turns to Asami, hiding her face in her hand. “He’s like a scarf model you’d see in the newspapers. He’s a pro-bender too, right? He’s like porcelain and I’m like…” She uncovers her face and tugs at her arm sleeves. “I’m like dirt.” 

Her mouth hangs open. Her eyes are glued to the water bender. She watches the girl hug herself, as though she is trying to cover body with an unseen blanket. Her mind is at a loss for words. 

“And it just makes me so mad that he would do that to you. I can’t be okay with that. I know he’s with someone else, but how could you pick me over that.”

“Sanya, no.” Asami takes a step toward the girl, unsure of what to say or do. 

“And I lied, I’m a little more than just kinda mad. I can only think of the worst possible reason why you wouldn’t tell me.”

“I told you, it slipped my mind. Please believe me.”

“How does something like that slip your mind? You dated him.”

“It’s a long story.” 

“I had time to listen.”

Asami begins pacing the room, she rubs her forehead as her frustration begins to rise. “I wanted to forget, okay?”

Searching blue eyes watch her. 

“I wanted to forget everything that happened here. I wanted to forget Mako. I wanted to forget my father. I wanted to forget everything. That’s why I agreed to go to Ba Sing Se. And I met you and everything just happened.”

“That’s why you didn’t tell me? Am I just distraction so you can get over him?”

Asami’s eyes widen, her jaw drops in astonishment. Sanya’s words stop her mid-step. “No!” 

Jet whines as he crawls under the bed. The girls momentarily break eye contact to send unsaid apologies to the wolf. 

“What was I supposed to say? Oh by the way I dated one of the most popular pro benders in Republic City and we’ll be living with him for a a while. Would you have been okay with that?” Her voice rises. 

“Much more okay than I am now!”

“Well, I’m sorry! He slipped my mind because he doesn’t matter anymore! I didn’t think we’d be coming back so soon either. I’ve got enough on my plate without your insecurities adding to my problems.” Asami quickly covers her mouth. Her stomach ties itself into knots as her heart drops. She begins shaking her head slowly. 

Sanya stares at the floor. She clutches her arm sleeves with shaky hands. Asami can see a tear drop to the floor. “So, I’m just your problem now?”

She continues to shake her head. She drops her hands and reaches out for Sanya. “No, please. I didn’t mean that.” Her voice cracks. 

The water bender takes a step back as she wipes her face with her arm. She begins to nod. “Yes you did.”

Sanya looks up. Asami’s stomach lurches at the sight. She thinks the color is beginning to drain from the girl’s eyes, like her tears are washing away a once brilliant cobalt. The heiress feels a tightness in her chest when Sanya looks away. 

“Please Sanya, just listen to me. I didn’t mean it.”

“You did. Because it’s true.” The girl’s voice is oddly calm. “You don’t need another problem.” Her mouth curls into a smile, but her eyes cry with pain. 

Asami squeezes her eyes shut. She hears the door close and Sanya’s footsteps echoing down the hall.

“But I need you.” She whispers.

She lets out a scream. Her fists held tight and close to her body. A soft rumbling outside floats into her ears, making her cover her mouth. Asami sinks to the floor and leans back on the bed frame. Trails of make up run down her face, a stream of tears wash away her face. Jet puts his head in her lap and licks her hand, doing his beast to comfort her. She strokes the fur on his head. The image of Sanya’s crying face refuses to leave her mind. She screams through her teeth and bangs her head into the bed frame again. Jet whines and becomes uneasy. He scurries to his feet and begins clawing at the door. 

“You probably want to be with her don’t you?” She sighs as she gets to her feet. “I’ll be alone again.” She says as she opens the door. 

“No you won’t.” Lin says, her fist held up to the door as though she were about to knock. 

The wolf looks back at her with ears pointed straight up. She shoos him away. At this gesture, Jet scurries past Lin’s legs and hurries down the corridor. 

“How do you always seem to know when I’m a mess?”

“Kid, you’re always a mess these days.” The metal bender walks into the room. “I think we all are.”

The pressure in her chest is lightened by the woman’s playful words. 

Lin leans on the wall beside the bed and crosses her arms. The girl sits cross legged on the bed, wiping away stray tears. 

“Wanna tell me what happened? Sanya doesn’t usually leave in such a huff like that. And I know it’s serious when she doesn’t even want dinner.”

Asami grabs a pillow and squeezes it. She wishes Jet stayed with her. “You said it, I’m a big mess and I messed up.”

“It happens to all of us.”

“I don’t think I can fix this. I don’t know how to fix this, any of this.”

“What do you do when you can’t fix one of your cars?”

Asami raises an eyebrow, bewildered by the sudden change of topic. 

“I always know how to fix my cars.” 

The metal bender slaps her forehead with her palm. “Well, the rest of us go to a mechanic. We go to someone who can help with things we cannot do ourselves.”

The girl slumps. Embarrassment reddens her face as she begins to understand. “Sanya’s not a car. I’m not a car. My father isn’t a car.”

“No, but that doesn’t mean you can still go about this like you’re a lone wolf.” 

“I messed up, not anyone else. I should take full responsibility. I dragged Sanya and the rest of your family into this. I can’t,”

“Hey, you didn’t drag any of us. We came willingly. We walked into the mess that is currently your life because we care. Don’t belittle that.”

“No! No, Lin I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it like that!” Asami grunts and buries her face in her pillow. “I’m not good with words today.”

She feels the bed dip. A gentle rests hand on her arm. “I know, kid. I know. See how easy it is to mess up? We all do it.” 

The girl nods. 

“When I was around your age, I got into a fight with my mother. Big surprise, I know.”

She looks up and rests her chin on her pillow. The woman stares at the door, watching her own memory unfold.

“A gang kidnapped Sanya’s mother you see, my mother and aunt Suki went to get her back.” She pauses and furrows her brow. “Now that I think about it, no one in that gang was a bender. No, not the same group that killed her grandparents later on. Might’ve had equalists back then too.” She shakes the thought out of her head.“Anyway, I wanted to go with them, prove to my mother that I was worthy. She said no of course.”

Asami’s eyes widen with wonder. “She said no?”

“That really is a big surprise isn’t it? Even Auntie Suki said no. But of course I didn’t listen. I was so angry with them that I followed, thinking I could prove them wrong.”

“Sounds like something Sanya would do.”

“Sounds like something Sanya has done.” Lin flashes a crooked smile. “I didn’t know what my mother and aunt had planned, I just rolled on in with a hot head. Things didn’t turn out so well.”

“What happened?”

“Fight broke out. It was pretty bad. The gang leader got away. Yue almost got killed. I got this scar.” She points to her face. “Mom had to save me, and believe me when I say it took her over ten years for her to let go of that.” 

She tilts her head to one side, a hurricane of thoughts go through her mind. “But how? I mean, You’re Lin Beifong, how did that happen?”

“I didn’t use bending, didn’t seem fair. I was angry and young, clearly not thinking. You were probably expecting a more exciting story about this scar.”

“I was actually.”

“Sorry to disappoint.” The woman rises from her seat and crosses her arms. “I didn’t listen to her. She always said, wait,”

“And listen before striking.” A sad smile forms on her face. 

She remembers the old earth bender’s smile. She remembers the night she died. She remembers her restraint that night.

“Wait for her. Listen to her. Then make your move.” Lin says before making her way to the door. “Don’t let some fire bender boy mess things up for the both of you.”

“Yeah. But Lin, are you okay?” She asks Lin before allowing herself to think over the woman’s advice. 

Lin drops her gaze. “I will be.” She opens the door. “And so will you.”

 


	7. Chapter 7

Colossal machines groan and screech behind curtains of steam. They repeat gestures they have done their entire lives. Beyond these lumbering giants is an area of darkness. Their brothers have been laid to a peaceful slumber. People in protective aprons and face guards move empty automobile shells, like worker bees serving their queen. Asami idly strolls though the nearly empty walkways inside the main factory of Future Industries. Dedicated workers greet her with a nod or a lazy wave. The girl can only muster a small smile. She looks at the palm of her hand, a pink line reminds her of a moment of weakness. As well as the sweet old woman who healed her. She clutches the strap of her satchel as she does her best to pay attention to the short balding man who walks beside her. 

The man is in charge of this factory, but her mind is too distracted to recall his name. She dwells on the past two days. Her conversations with Lin and Sanya play in her head, each scene put on a loop. Each time Sanya’s face flashes in her mind she feels the sharp knife of guilt pierce her chest. Everything she should have said or should have done comes to mind, sharpening regret’s blade. Her grip on the satchel’s strap tightens. 

The man gestures as they walk by lines of steel drums. His mouth moves. She nods, but not one of his words make it into her head. He motions to silos on the far wall. She nods again, this time adding a polite smile to hide her inattention. She stares at the giant metal cylinders by the wall. A memory flashes in her head. _No, daddy, please don’t. Thud. Thud. Thud. A giant metal monster comes her way as the mother of metal bending is lost._

“Miss Sato?” The man beside her waves his hand before her face. 

She is pulled out of her memory. “Yes? I’m sorry. What was that?”

“Production ma’am. We’re slowing down.”

She nods. 

“We don’t have the manpower and we’re losing money. We don’t have to shut down completely, just slow down. Really slow down.”

“I understand.” 

“Yeah, ever since your father,” His eyes drop to the floor.

“It’s fine. I understand.” 

“But, you can see we’re doing pretty okay considering what’s happened.” The man’s voice picks up as he does his best to salvage the conversation. 

Asami focuses on the buzz of electricity fluttering in the air as she watches devoted fire benders bend lightning near one of the machines. Nearly all of the benders who worked for Future Industries left upon hearing the news of her father. She cannot understand why this small group stayed, but she is grateful for their loyalty. Her eyes land on an open door on the far side of the room. Views of the outside world greet her from behind sleeping steel giants. It looks just as bleak as factory. The man continues to talk facts and figures of the current state of the factory. Statistics that never reach the girl. 

The man stops walking. “So, that’s all there is really.” 

She nods at the man. “How are the workers-“ She stops talking. She freezes as her eyes search the ground. “Did you feel that?” 

“Ma’am?” He cocks his head to the side.

“You didn’t feel that just now? That sort of rumbling?” 

He shakes his head no. “Must be one of the machines moving ma’am. I didn’t feel a thing.”

She fakes a smile and nods. “How are the workers handling all this?” 

The man begins to speak, but Asami’s mind is elsewhere. She contemplates removing her shoes. _Lin takes off her shoes when does that vibrations thing._ She waves the thought away. She is not an earth bender. 

“But other than that, they’re all okay.” The man finishes.

An unusual type of guilt fills her. This man went through all the trouble of answering her question, yet she did not bother to listen. The rumbling in the ground becomes stronger.  

“Are you sure you don’t feel that?”

“Not a thing Miss Sato.” He shrugs. 

The man opens his mouth to speak again. Words are never spoken. 

An explosion comes from the far side of the factory rocks the earth beneath them. Dark orange flames burst through the factory’s walls. Asami is thrown off her feet, her bottom hits the hard ground. She watches workers scramble like ants. Horrified faces with wide open mouths scream, but the only sound in her ears is a sharp ringing. She searches frantically for the short balding man as she gets to her feet. She spots him on the ground beside a pile of rubble. 

Asami rises with unsteady movements. “Are you all right?” 

He nods as he wipes dirt from his face. Blood trickles down the side of his face.

“Get the others out of here.” She helps the man to his feet. “Everyone! This way!” She does her best to herd her workers away from the attackers. 

“What about you?” He begins to panic.

“I can take care of myself.” She pushes the man toward a group of frantic workers. 

The group of loyal fire benders stay behind. They stand ready for a fight. 

“No! You help the others out.”

“But ma’am!” One of them screams behind their protective mask.

“They need you more than I do. Now go!” 

They look at each other and nod. They obey. The group herds their fellow workers to safety as the bend flames away from the exits.

Asami runs toward the first explosion. A second smaller blast comes from her right. Her feet stumble, but she does not fall. Behind the curtain of dust she sees an all too familiar sight. The sound of gears grinding and steam releasing mixes in with the crackling fires and screaming workers. _Thud. Thud. Thud_. Two equalist mechs lumber into the hole blown into the wall. Masked equalists run into the building. 

“Oh great. I just did my nails too.” Asami says to herself. “At least I’m wearing pants this time.”

The masked intruders begin throwing small bundles of cheese cloth on the equipment, the floor, and even the workers. They explode into clouds of blue dust upon impact. Her mind runs through her limited options. She freezes. Flashbacks fill her mind. _Move, Asami, move! No, stop! Not him. Please don’t let it be him. Daddy, why?_ She rubs her eyes with the heels of her palms. She runs toward the nearest intruder and rams her fist into a masked face.

“Asami!” 

She knows that voice anywhere. She stops and turns to find Sanya frozen in a state of bewilderment. She holds a bouquet ofpink lilies in one hand and a bag of sweets in the other. A light layer of dust covers her bare biceps and white arm sleeves. 

Asami runs to the girl. “What are you doing here?” She pulls her to the side. 

“Well, you know what auntie always says. Where there are explosions, there’s Sanya.” 

“What a time for you not to have your jacket.” 

“I could say the same for you. I didn’t think I’d need it!”

A large mechanical arm crashes into a conveyor belt. Asami takes Sanya by the shoulders and pulls her against a wall. 

“I came to apologize for the other night.” She screams over the ruckus. 

Asami moves away from the wall to face the water bender. “I should be apologizing.” 

The equalist mechs makes the the ground shake with every step. More equipment falls to the ground with thundering booms. The slumbering giants of the factory do not wake as they burn to the ground. The mechs slowly make their way further into the factory. Three unarmed equalists charge the girls. 

“No, no. I shouldn’t have been so selfish.” The water bender ties the bag of sweets to the back of her belt before she launches herself off the wall, her feet land squarely on the chest of nearest attacker. “Rude! I’m trying to apologize here!” She screams. 

A deep grunt comes from behind the mask before a soft thud of the body hitting the ground. Asami dodges punch. She takes hold of her attacker’s arm and neck, with one quick thrust she smashes the attacker into the wall. 

“Sanya, I should have told you. None of the would have happened if I had just told you. I should’ve let you talk, I should’ve listened instead of just mouthing off like that.”

The flowers are kicked out of the water bender’s hand. She retaliates by catching the leg on her shoulder, pushing the equalist to the ground. She picks up the bruised flowers, her mouth drops into a scowl. Another equalist trudges toward them, carrying a large metal box on their back. 

“Asami, please. I overreacted. I should have thought about all the stuff you’re going through.”

“Are we seriously arguing about who should be apologizing!” Asami lets herself laugh amidst the chaos. 

The equalist with the the metal backpack stops before them. 

Sanya turns toward the masked intruder. “Can we possibly settle this over a game of pai sho?”

The equalist throws a bundle of blue power at them. He lifts a small nozzle at his side. A hissing comes the box. A stream of orange flames flies toward Asami. 

“I guess not.” She kicks the bundle out of the way, takes Sanya by the biceps, and shoves her to the ground. The bundle catches fire, turning the flames bright blue. Asami watches in awe as pins the water bender to the ground. 

“This really isn’t how I imagined it would be like to have you on top of me.”

“What?”

Blood rushes to the water bender’s face. “Nothing. Watch your hair.” Quick hands shove Asami’s head down.

The flames dissipate as she gets to her feet. The lilies have caught fire, the girl holding them watches with rage in her eyes. 

She lies on the ground with her hips raised. “I lost your flowers. I refuse to lose your sweets!” She gets to her feet. 

More masked invaders carry metal boxes on their backs, throwing bundles of powder and igniting blue fires. 

“There is only person alive who can make fire that color, and she is sitting comfortably in a mansion on Ember Island.” Sanya says.

Asami watches her factory burn down. A few stragglers are still trying to flee the scene, dedicated workers who refused to leave their stations. She swallows. Her throat is scratchy and dry. It aches for water.Her eyes wander over to the untouched silos on the far wall. 

“You need water.” She reaches into her satchel and produces a boomerang. 

She runs forward. With all her might, she hurls the boomerang toward the nearest silo. _Clang_. The boomerang embeds itself into the thin sheet metal that makes up the wall of the tall cylindrical tower. 

“You carry it around with you?”  

“Of course.” Asami grins. 

Viscous black liquid oozes out of the tear. It runs down the silo and snakes its way onto the floor. 

“Oh no, no, no.”The grin vanishes from her face. Shock paralyzes her. 

The black stream finds an inviting blue flame. A strong arm takes her by the waist and nearly carries her behind the line of steel drums. Sanya takes Asami’s hands and places them on her ears as she does the same. Through a sliver of space between the drums, Asami watches the serpent of flames slither with haste. It reaches the silo. Her eyes widen. The serpent climbs into the silo. She shuts them tight. With her hands pressed tightly against her ears, a muffled blast brightens the room. The heated air covers her like a blanket. Sweat runs down her face. Something hits the drum, causing it to bump into her. Through the sleeve of her jacket, she can feel the hot steel ready to burn her skin. 

The brightness dies down. Sanya gets to her feet and helps her up. 

The boomerang was thrown into the drum. Water spills from the crack, covering the ground at her feet. She slams her palm into her forehead. _We’ve moved all the water into these drums form those silos, making room for more oil…_ The man’s voice chimes in head. Her jaw tenses. Her brow furrows. Her ribcage cannot contain the rage in her heart. She places a foot on the drum and with both hands on the boomerang she wriggles it free. Water flows out onto the floor, then up into the air. She watches the water bender rush to the nearest flame. She skids to a stop. 

“I can’t put these out.” She turns to Asami. “With the oil and what they did in Ba Sing Se. I can’t put these out.” 

“It’ll burn itself out.” Her words crawl out of a scratchy throat.

Bodies of fallen equalists litter the ground. The smell of smoke and burnt flesh sting her nostrils. A large mech has fallen near the wreckage of the silo. The second stands idly by, its driver missing from their post. Blue flames slowly fade into their natural orange hue. She stands motionless, watching her factory crumble to the ground. Charred steel falls nearby. She does not move. Sanya does her best to put out what fires she can. Some still burn, burning away Future Industries. 

“Asami.” A gentle voice says. “We have to go.”

She does not budge. Her eyes are glued to the ruins. 

“There will be more of them coming, we have to go.” The voice is more urgent this time. 

“No.”

“What?” Sanya takes a step back. 

“No.” Her voice cracks. “I’m supposed to run away after they did this to my factory? I don’t want to run away anymore.”Her fist tightens around the boomerang.

Sanya pulls at her arms sleeves, her fingers wanting to scratch an itch that is not there. She turns toward the wreckage then back to Asami. 

“No.” The heiress turns to face the water bender. Her chest rises and falls as it contains all her rage. 

“Okay.” Sanya grabs the boomerang and runs off. She pops the top off a steel container before hustling back to her. “Hold onto this.” She places the boomerang in Asami’s hand and gives it a squeeze. “Auntie will be here soon, so we just have to hold them off for a bit.” She turns and puts a hand on her hip, the other moves strands of white hair out of her face. “Do you know how to drive that thing?” She points to the silent mech. 

“I don’t want to touch that.” 

“Okay, new plan.” She fiddles with strands of loose hair. “No more explosions.”

Asami raises an eyebrow. 

“What? It’s not I wake up every morning and think, hmm what am I going to blow up today?” 

Asami shakes her head. “They’re here for something. They have to be if they’re willing to attack in broad daylight.” Her words are slow and monotonous. 

“Then let’s make sure they have a hard time finding it.” Sanya raises a hand. Ribbons of water hang suspended in the air before disappearing into thick fog. 

Cool air dries the sweat on Asami’s brow. She can no longer see the ruins of her factory. Everything lies still. She can hear her heart beating, anxious with anticipation. A few light footsteps to her left. The groans of Future Industries’ fallen titans echoe within the curtain of grey cloud. Fires crackle and burn away at everything they touch. The screaming of a million thoughts buzz in her head. _Concentrate. Listen. Attack_. Toph’s voice drowns out most of the screaming. 

The curtain of fog parts to her left. 

“That should throw them off a bit.” The water bender’s voice is nearly a whisper. “Are you all right?” She takes her hand, but her eyes stay focused on the haze. 

Asami wonders of the girl can see through it. She watches Sanya. The girl is covered in grit. A bag of sweets still dangles on her belt loop. Strands of white hair have come undone. Like white vines, they dangle over furrowed brows and determined eyes. Ash mixes with sweat and plasters itself onto her face. All she can do it stare. 

“Asami?”

“Sanya, about earlier,”

“We can talk about it later. We’ve got company.” She turns to face Asami. “Are you all right?” Searching blue marbles meet her eyes. 

“I’m fine.” Her voice shakes. Flashbacks of the night they lost their rock fill her head. Her chest is heavy, each breath becoming harder to take in and let go. She tries to look away, to look at anything but the girl before her. 

“Okay.” Sanya lays a gentle hand on Asami cheek. “Come back to me. I know you’re back in Ba Sing Se and let me tell you, there are nights I’m back there too. But I need you here right now. I need you.” 

Patter of footsteps breaks the silence. Their guests have arrived. 

“Asami?”

She takes Sanya’s hand and gives it a squeeze. Her jaw tightens at the sound of hurried murmuring. 

Sanya pulls her closer. Her warm breath grazes Asami’s neck, brushing away her rage. She allows her body to relax. 

“Open the barrels. Knock them over. Run to the nearest body and knock it out.” Sanya whispers. 

The water bender disappears into the fog before Asami can answer. Her head turns frantically as she looks for any sign of the barrels in the fog. She stands still takes a deep breath. Her mind pulls up a floor plan of the factory before Sanya’s fog settled in. She grimaces at the effort needed to recall every single detail. Shuffling feet and splashing water echo in the distance. In a crouch, she picks up small chunks of iron and concrete, still warm from the explosions. She throws them forward. _Clatter_. She throws them to her left. _Clatter_. She throws them to her right. _Clatter_. She turns around and throws another handful of debris. _Clank_. A smirks forms on her face. With slow weary steps and searching hands, she makes her way to the line of metal barrels. Her hand feels the now cooled steel. Without hesitation, she hacks into a barrel with the boomerang before kicking over and pushing it with her feet. She moves onto the next and does the same. She looks into the grey. She sees nothing. The sound of metal rolling on concrete floats into her ears, soon followed by a grunt. Her smirk widens as she realizes she has hit a target. The sound of water splashing and ice shattering echoes in the grey cloud. She scurries out form behind the barrels and hurls her boomerang forward with the hope of hitting someone. _Clank_. The grey rewards her efforts with a shrill scream in addition to a returning boomerang.

The sound of rushing boots becomes louder. Asami plants her feet on the ground, unmoving and steady. She clenches her fist, ready to attack. There is nothing more than shadows in the fog, but her ears tell her everything she needs to know. Her attacker lunges forward. The equalist raises an armed hand. A baton glows with electric fury. Asami catches their arm twists it downward. The baton buzzes with irritation as it hits the ground. A low guttural noise comes from its owner as she introduces her fist to her assailant’s masked face. The sound of more hurried footsteps comes from all around her. A brief moment of panic overcomes her. Her eyes ache for a clarity. She shuts them. 

Asami grits her teeth as she tries to focus on each pair of feet. Three pairs. Three people. Three reasons to release the caged beast in her chest. Her hand begins to tremble. Rage swims through her veins, shaking her nerves. She opens her eyes. A baton rushes toward her head. She blocks it with her arm. A fist to the ribs sends her to her knees and gasping for air. With the wind knocked out of her, she sweeps her feet across the floor, taking an attacker’s feet out from under them. A fist slams into a vulnerable chest. A foot to her back sends her tumbling over her fallen attacker. Her heart pounds in her head. The world around her becomes blurry. She reaches for the boomerang as a feet comes falling down on her. With a grunt she slams the blunt end of her weapon into the equalist’s knee. _Crack_. A bloodcurdling scream fills her ears. Without missing a beat, she swings her arm around. With the butt end of the boomerang held firmly in a fist, she deals a mighty blow into the stomach of the last remaining attacker. Her breath is heavy as she slowly gets to her feet. Asami listens. No splashing water, no shattering ice. Shuffling feet. Groaning and creaking of heavy steel instruments. 

“Sanya?” She calls out. 

No response. 

Creaking of metal parts and hissing of steam freeing itself from enormous pressure is all she hears. Muffled muttering of mouths behind masks worries her. The ground rumbles beneath her. _Thud_. _Thud_. _Thud_. The all too familiar sound of a metal colossus plodding towards her sends her mind into a panic. 

“Sanya!” Asami steps back, her feet uncertain of where they land. 

The thundering steps of the equalist mech become louder. 

“Sanya!” Her chest becomes tight. “Please.” She stands completely still, listening to ghosts in the fog.

Something small drops beside her. She looks down to see a small foil wrapped cube. She picks up the chocolate as she searches for the one who might have dropped it. Asami looks up, shoving the candy into her satchel. A whirlpool of clouds begins to spin overhead. The fog around her begins to disperse. Slowly the curtain is lifted, finally giving her eyes the clarity for which they longed. A group of equalists stand beside the lumbering mechanical beast. 

Asami looks up to find Sanya standing on overhanging ledge several meters above her. The girl bends streams of water into her brewing storm cloud and around the equalist mech. The water bender’s graceful feet work with the limited space they are given. Her arms, like white and tan ribbons control the fog. The equalists stare at the swirling cloud above them. Asami’s mouth curls into a sly grin. 

The dark mass above them flashes. Thunder echoes in the factory. With a running start, she hurls her boomerang. It takes out two equalists. She catches it just as she lands a kick to unexpectedly soft stomach. Her fist makes contact with a skull. 

The mass floats over the mech, lightening flashes within its body. Asami takes an equalist by the head and shoves her knee into another masked face. A twinge of pain runs up Asami’s side. With her hand on her side, she scurries away from a puddle of water near the mech. The remaining invaders follow suit as they disperse. A bolt of lightning tears through the space beside the mechanical monster. She searches for Sanya. The water bender looks weary. Her movements are slower than usual. Asami grits her teeth. Her eyes wander, searching for any way to help bring down the beast and its minions. Before she can move, another sliver of light illuminates the factory. The mech groans. Steam and sparks rise from its joints. The person piloting the beast slumps over the controls.

The water bender jumps from her perch and jogs toward her. 

“No explosion. She actually did it.” She says to herself. 

“Of course I did. It hurts that you even doubted me.” Sweat rolls down Sanya’s face. 

Asami cannot contain a smile at the girl’s smug little grin. Her eyes wander past Sanya’s shoulders. Time slows as her eyes widen with panic. She lunges at the girl. Her twists her body sideways in an attempt to move Sanya away from the electric baton coming their way. Asami shuts her eyes and fills her lungs with heavy air. The baton hits her below the ribs. Her muscles tense. An electric shock crawls through her veins. She spams. Tears run down her face. Her teeth grind as she tries to hold back a scream. Her mind is static. The world dims into darkness. She hears only her heart beating in her ears. 

She opens her eyes to find herself face down on the ground. Sanya kneels beside her. Her mouth moves, but all Asami hears are noises that sound vaguely like her name. Sanya holds out a palm, a gesture telling her to stay put. In her fuzzy mind Asami laughs. She cannot move if she wanted to. She closes her eyes. Her muscles twitch. With each heartbeat a wave of overwhelming pain washes over her. Millions of tiny knives poke at every muscle. She does her best to regain control of her body. _Move your right foot_! She screams in her head. 

A feeling of warmth relaxes her body and chases away the pain. Cold air hits the sweat on her face while the warmth fades away. The waves of agony become a dull ache. She breathes easier, her ribs no longer feel like a straight jacket against her lungs. Her left foot jerks up. _Okay, progress._ She steadies her breathing. Asami focuses on every part of her body. The dull aching in her ribs intensifies with each breath she takes. She opens her eyes to find herself surrounded by ice. Blurry figures move outside the wall of ice. She grunts as she pushes herself off the ground. A heavy head makes the world spin, making her feel unstable. She pushes through and sits on her bottom. She rests on her hands, wetness on her palms. It is warm. Too warm to be water dripping down from the melting roof of the makeshift igloo. Her head lulls to the side, weary eyes stare at her hand. Deep crimson stains cover her palms. She sits up and checks her body for any open wounds. Her shirt was pushed up, its hem stained a dark reddish-brown. A purple bruise the size of a small platter stares back at her. The pounding in her head intensifies. It becomes louder with each beat. Bloodied hands hold her head. No, the throbbing is not in her head. She soon realizes someone is pounding on the ice as the world becomes clear again. Cracks form and slither down the blue sheets of ice. Asami knows it cannot be Sanya. Her mind races. She stares at her blood stained hands. The paint on her nails has chipped. She has broken a nail. A light goes off in her head. She rummages around her satchel. Her hands emerge empty. She pats the ground beside her. _There it is._ She brushes debris and blood off her nail file. A smirk creeps onto her face.The girl shrugs.

“Might as well.” She whispers to herself as files down the jagged edges of her broken nail.  

She pushes herself against the icy walls, beneath the slithering cracks made by incessant pummeling from the outside. Chunks of wet ice fall on her. She waits until the hole is big enough, the pointed end of her nail file peaks out through a clenched fist. She musters all her strength and springs from her position. Her body crashes through the hole in the ice. With her free hand she grabs the equalist’s collar and jams her nail file into a bony chest. She puts all her weight on her screaming attacker. They tumble to the ground. Luckily, she has a body to break her fall. She rolls away from the writhing equalist. The world spins through fuzzy eyes. She takes a moment to steady herself and shake the dizziness out of her head. Once she opens her eyes, she sees a tired water bender doing her best to fend of masked foes. Asami tires to get to her feet, but a heavy hand on her shoulder pushes her down. 

“Going somewhere Miss Sato?” A husky male voice cackles. 

Two of his companions walk up behind her. They do not wear masks. His unevenly cut hair is as dark as his black eyes. He is not much older than Asami, yet the wrinkles and scars on his face say otherwise. The men standing behind him smirk with sense of pride. She tries to get to her feet. 

“No, no, no Miss Sato, that would not be a good idea.” The man holds out a a hand adorned with an equalist glove. 

The heiress is still. Her eyes glued to the glowing center of the glove as it fizzes to life. 

“How long has it been since you betrayed your father?”

Asami does not answer. 

“I was there that night. I was the first one you took out after dear ol’ daddy.” 

Her jaw tightens. Her body feels too heavy for her to lunge and attack without risking another fatal hit. 

“I’m going to enjoy this way too-“

The man freezes. His arm begins to shake. His face twitches, as if invisible puppet strings are pulling at his mouth and eyes in way they cannot bend. 

“Hey, what’s up with you?” One of his cohorts asks. 

“Get away from her.” A weary voice booms from behind Asami. 

She turns to see Sanya hunched over with her arms around her chest. Her left arm sleeve is no longer white, but a shade of dark red. She breathes heavily, each exhale causes strands of hair come undone to rise and fall. 

The men scoff. The man is completely frozen. 

Azula’s fire is set ablaze in Sanya’s eyes. She takes a step forward, her bloodied hand outstretched. Her posture would rival that of any general as she commands their bodies. The men become stiff, much like their leader. 

“You guys aren’t very bright are you?” Sanya says under her breath. 

“Oppressor.” The man closest to Asami says between his teeth.

Asami’s widened eyes can only watch in awe. She watches as the equalists struggle to resist Sanya’s control. She thinks they have no doubt undergone some form of training with their former leader, but the daughter of the moon is no match for the late water bender. 

“Sanya, stop.” Asami asks with pleading eyes. 

The water bender’s jaw tightens. She drops her hand. 

“Bad move, ice savage.” The man raises his hand to strike again.

Asami gets on her knees as she braces herself and prepares to block the attack. Two crimson strips fly out from his shoulders. They freeze mid flight and hit the men behind him square in the chest. They are knocked off their feet. The red steams melt and fly back into the man’s shoulders as he collapses. His brown top becomes darker as blood seeps into the fabric. Asami stares at their motionless bodies. Their chests move slightly. She exhales with relief. 

“Blood bender!” A man shouts. 

Men and women wearing the uniform of Republic City’s metal bending police swarm the factory. Blocks of earth are lifted from the ground to put out the remaining fires. A person in uniform runs to the nearest equalist. 

The girl gets to her feet. “Wait! Stop!” She yells as she waves her hands. 

Steel tendrils wrap themselves around Sanya’s arms. She does her best to silence a cry. 

“Stop! You’ve got it all wrong! Stop!” Asami knows her words reach no one. 

More metal cables shoot out from various members of the force. They wrap themselves around Sanya’s legs, but the girl refuses to be brought to her knees. Every muscle in her body tenses and strains against her restraints. Asami contemplates using the boomerang, but decides against it. With heavy feet she runs forward. Sturdy arms wrap around her waist. She pushes against them with the hope of breaking their iron grip. 

“Hey. This isn’t going to help.” 

Asami looks up to see Lin’s stern face. Breathing becomes difficult again as she watches Sanya strain against the metal benders’ cables. 

“Lin, I can’t lose her too.”

“Neither can I. But this isn’t going to help her.”

A cable wraps around Sanya’s neck. 

“Hey!” Lin’s scream booms louder than thunder. The earth beneath them rumbles with her rage. “That’s my niece, have some respect!” 

The cable unwinds itself from her neck. 

“I’ll get her out but, I need you to listen to me. Okay?”

Asami is glued to the sight of the water bender struggling to stay on her feet. Sanya looks up and meets her gaze. Her face is soft and apologetic. Asami cannot understand the shame filling the girl’s eyes. Her jaw tightens as her head drops. She tries to hide a frown. 

“Asami.” Lin blocks her view. “Are you okay to drive?” 

She stands up straight, no longer leaning into Lin’s arms. 

“Yeah.” She lies. 

Lin takes the girl’s bloodied hand and raises an eyebrow. 

“It’s not mine.” 

The woman nods. She presses a ring of keys into the girl’s palm. “I parked around front. Tenzin should be at a council meeting right about now. Get there and tell him what happened, tell him I need aunt Katara at the station. There should be less traffic if you go by the police station. Take your time, don’t rush.” Her look intensifies. “And don’t drop the keys under the seat.”

She nods. She looks past the woman to Sanya. 

“I’ll take care of her.” Lin turns around and holds out a hand and lowers it. 

Without delay, Sanya gets to her knees. “Go.” She says to Asami. 

The girl scurries past Lin. She takes one look back to see the master metal bender as she strides over to her fallen niece. Her iron armor is stripped away. She wipes tears from her niece’s face. She cannot look. She knows she will have the urge to turn around. She runs past smoldering bits of machinery. Charred bodies of three workers lie beside the equipment they once used. Her stomach churns at the thought of having to tell their families. She runs faster. Once outside, she finds Lin’s car past a herd of police vehicles. 

She stumbles into the diver’s seat and locks the door. Asami stares at the steering wheel. Tears well up in her eyes. A heaviness in her chest becomes overwhelming. It becomes difficult to breath as the ache in her ribs reminds her of its presence. She blinks. A tear falls like the first drop of rain before a storm. She drops the keys and buries her face in her hands. Her shoulders shake with each sob. She does her best to quell her cries, but she cannot find the energy. Her head pounds, images of the factory, of her workers, of her father, of Toph bombard her thoughts. Her stomach lurches each time she whimpers through her hands. She feels as though hope leaves her with each tear. She sighs and wipes tears from her face. She looks into the rear view mirror. Her face is stained with grit and grime. Tracks of dirt and tears run down her face and off her chin. Her eyes are red and puffy, pale with fatigue. A fine layer of ash clings to her hair. 

“Oh well.” She says to herself.

She looks around the seat for the car keys. _Don’t drop the keys under the seat_. Lin’s voice echoes in her head. She freezes. Stray sobs cause her to hiccup. She reaches below the seat to find a thermos. Beside the thermos a folder. Finally, the keys. 

Asami opens the thermos. A familiar smell greets her. She takes a swig of lukewarm tea. The sudden bitterness in her mouth is like a slap to the face, but brings much needed relief to the desert that has become of her throat. She wets the hem of her shirt and wipes off as much grime as she can from her face. With a shake of the head, ash falls into her lap and onto the seat. She brushes it away. The smell of diluted tea leaves and barley brings her out of her thoughts. She reaches down and takes the folder. A hastily scribbled note falls to her lap. 

_Took this from the chief’s office. Probably shouldn’t have. Doesn’t matter, I’ll always be THE Chief. Couldn’t get the rest. Don’t crash my car. -Lin_

She tosses the note aside and flips through the pages in the folder. Police records of her father’s suspected activities. A few pages detailing his crimes. A page about the company.

“Oh right, Future Industries has no future. I totally forgot about that.” She rolls her eyes. 

The last few pages are notes. Scribbled in different handwriting. Suspected activities of the equalist movement. She shoves the folder into her bag. Grit covered fingers drum an off beat melody on the steering wheel as Asami flips through her options in her mind. 

She takes a deep breath, reaches for the keys, jams a key into the ignition, and stomps on the gas pedal. A sudden rush overtakes her. Wind dries her face and blows through her hair, blowing away any thoughts she harbored. She grips the steering wheel tightly as she tries to concentrate on driving. With another deep breath her hands relax. It has been a long time since she has been behind the wheel. She misses this feeling. She slams on the brakes as drives past the the Republic City police station. A car screeches by, its driver yells obscenities. Asami does not care. She carefully maneuvers the car backwards through oncoming traffic. She ignores the cursing drivers and parks before the entrance to the station. 

She looks up as she exits Lin’s car. An ever watchful Toph Beifong looks over her city she cannot see. The girl freezes. With a newfound determination given to her by her stone guardian, she marches into the station. A few lower ranking officers scuttle around, carrying loose papers to various desks. Sunlight casts shadows of the window panes onto the floor. The nearly empty halls reveal their loneliness by casting echoes of footsteps and ringing phones. A young man at the front desk holds a phone to his ear. He looks away when Asami makes eye contact. A name tag on his chest reads “LU.” The goofy grin on his face makes her roll her eyes. 

“No, you hang up first.” He giggles. 

“Excuse me.”

The man holds up a finger to silence her. He chuckles and leans on the counter.

“No, I love you more.” 

Asami hides her grimacing face behind a dirty hand. A small laugh comes from behind her hand. 

“Excuse me.” She says louder this time. 

Lu glares at her. “I have to go sweetie.”

She does not hide an exasperated sigh and exaggerated eye roll.

He hangs up the phone. “May I help you?” His words drag, but as soon as he sees the grime covered girl standing before him his eyes widen with curiosity. 

She puts on her best business smile. “I’ve been away for a while and my aunt brought in my car. It was in a bit of an accident you see. I was just wondering if I could go about getting that back.” 

He eyes Asami from top to bottom. “Right, and why would your aunt bring it here?” He takes out a note pad.

“She works here.”

“Okay. And your name is?”

“Asami Sato.”

He looks up with a raised brow. 

“It’s a common name.” She waves away a question that has yet to leave the officer’s mouth.

“And your aunt is?” 

“Chief Beifong.” 

The man cocks his head to the side. “I knew she had a niece, I didn’t think,”

“She has more than one niece.” Asami cuts him off. 

“Right…” He trails off. 

“I’ll just go check on that for you.” 

She knows he will not. “Okay, great. Thanks.” She flashes him another smile. 

He leaves his post and walks down a corridor to the right. “She doesn’t even work here anymore.” She hears him mutter.

Her eyes follow him. Various doors and offices line the walls. She knows most of the officers are out, most likely at her factory or on patrol. The man walks into a room and closes the door behind him. 

Asami slips away from the desk. No one pays any attention to her as she walks by a sign that reads “Authorized Personnel Only Beyond This Point.” Her feet are light, giving the halls no reason to speak of her presence. She keeps an eye out for the door to the chief’s office. It is exactly where she thought it would be. Through the office’s window, she can see the room is empty. Sunlight creates menacing shadows of the furniture, but she cannot see one shaped like a human. An overly optimistic hand jiggles the door knob. Locked. She blows hair out of her face and contemplates her choices. Without much deliberation, she removes her hair clip. She pulls the metal portion back, creating a makeshift key. She inserts the metal portion into the key hole. _Well, you can’t say I didn’t try._ A door creaks open behind her. She turns her back to the door and keeps her hands behind her. 

A woman with shoulder length black hair and pristinely cut bangs walks out of a door on her left. Dark eyeliner intensifies the green in her eyes. Her strong jaw tightens as she looks over the pile of folders in her arm and notices the girl standing by the chief’s door. Asami’s hands continue to work the lock. The woman suddenly stops and clutches the files close to her chest. She looks around. Her mouth moves but Asami cannot hear what she says. 

“Umm. You are?”

The woman’s intense gaze makes her nervous. Asami can feel the blood rushing to her face. She regrets cleaning off the dirt from her face. “I’m… The new girl. Yes, I’m the new girl.”

“Oh?” The woman walks closer, her name tag obscured by the files in her hands. “I don’t think I’ve heard of you. I didn’t know we had any new people.” 

“Well, that’s why I’m new.” A nervous laugh covers up the sound of metal clinking behind her. 

“You don’t seem to be,” Her eyes travel up and down Asami’s body. “Dressed for the job.”

“I’m undercover. It’s all very hush hush right now, my assignment that is. I am to report directly to Chief Beifong.” 

“She doesn’t work here anymore.” The woman’s voice softens. 

Asami realizes she does not know the current chief’s name. “She’ll always be the chief to me. But I do have to report directly to the chief. It’s that important.” She fiddles with the lock behind her as she gives a nervous laugh. 

The woman raises an eyebrow. “I haven’t heard about that.”

“Good, means I’m doing my job right.” The pounding in Asami’s chest settles down. 

“But you just told me.” The woman’s glare becomes more intense. 

Asami freezes, nearly dropping her hair clip. “Well, you know. No one likes to be left out of the loop. I thought you should know. In case I need back up or anything.” 

She nods. 

“Hana!” Someone calls from another room. She turns slightly in the call’s direction, but her gaze does not falter.

Asami furiously works the lock. _Click_. A grin forms on her face. 

“Look, if this is for the Chief I won’t say a thing.”

The smile on the girl’s face drops. Confusion causes her to tilt her head.

“She’ll always be the chief to me too.”

“Hana!” The voice call out for her again

“I’ll leave you to that assignment of yours.” 

Asami is unable to believe her luck. “Yeah, thanks.”  

An slight nod is all the woman gives her before walking away. She disappears into another corridor. Asami rushes into the office. She pockets her nearly broken hair clip and begins to rummage around the desk. Various case files regarding crimes around Republic City are all she can find. She tries opening the desk drawers. Locked. There is no time to pick the locks on all of them. She blows hair out of her face. A looming file cabinet covers nearly all of the back wall behind the large oak desk. One by one, she opens them. She does not know what to look for, but hopes to find something useful. She takes all the folders filed under “equalists.” Her hand hovers over the files as she chews on her lip. She looks up “Sato, Hiroshi.” She takes the file. A searching finger hovers over the block of paperwork. Asami shrugs and takes out her own file. No surprises. Her hand slips as she jams it back into the cabinet. The file preceding her own reveals itself. “Sato, Amai.” The girl swallows a lump in her throat. Tears forming in her eyes blurs her vision, but she blinks them away. Asami grabs the file. Her heart is in no condition to read this now. She shoves the folder in her satchel and dashes out of the office. She keeps her eyes on the floor as she hastily walks back to the front lobby. 

“Miss Sato?” 

She looks up to find Lu staring at her. “Yes?”

“I couldn’t find anything on your car, what were you doing back there?” 

Her mouth hangs open. Tired green eyes search the back walls for answer. “Restroom.” She flashes another business smile. “I was looking for the restroom and I found it. And no need to worry about the car. I have others. She probably has it at her house. Stupid of me not to think to go there first, huh?” She puts a palm to her forehead and flashes a smile. “Thank you though. Have a nice day!” Her nerves speed up her words. 

She bolts past him and quickly makes her way back to Lin’s car. A parking ticket on the windshield greets her. Without hesitation, she rips the ticket into confetti and tosses it over her shoulder. Asami hops into the driver’s seat and wakes the the Satomobile. She takes one last look at the statue of the greatest earth bender in the world. Waiting. Listening. Guarding. It is those cloudy eyes that bring comfort to her aching heart. 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

“How’s that feel? Any better?” Korra asks as she maneuvers warm water over the platter sized bruise below Asami’s ribs. 

The heiress does not respond. She lies on her bed, clutching her shirt to her chest. Her thoughts refuse to let her rest. From the moment she returned to Air Temple Island early that afternoon, she busied herself. Cleaning. Cooking. More cleaning. All futile attempts at curbing her incessant worrying. Lin, Katara, and Sanya have yet to return.Despite all the speeches that everyone gave her about things being all right, her mind can only think the worst. 

“Asami?” 

She snaps back into the small room. 

“Is this okay?”

“Yeah, I think I’m good. Thanks.” She lowers her shirt and sits up, slinging her legs over the side of the bed. 

“No problem. There wasn’t much to do, you’re a pretty fast healer.” The avatar sends a stream of water into a bucket and dries her hands on a towel slung over her shoulder. 

Asami does her best to smile. 

“I’m pretty sure Bolin didn’t eat all the food. You should eat something.” 

She shakes her head no. “I’m fine, thanks.” 

Asami stares at glistening black water of the bay. Moonlight sparkles like diamonds on black sand. Korra stands by the window with one hand on her neck and the other fiddling with thetowel. 

“Nice out.” The avatar says. 

“Yeah.” Asami responds without a thought, her eyes desperately search for a boat coming their way. “I think I’ll go wait outside.” She gets to her feet and makes her way to the door. 

“Wait!” 

Asami turns to face the other girl.

“I just want to, umm, to say, I’m sure she’ll be all right.”

She nods before she turns to leave again.

“And,” Korra takes a step closer. “I never actually got to apologize for the things that happened with Mako. I know it was a while ago, but it’s been bugging me ever since you left for Ba Sing Se. And I just wanted to say I’m sorry.” She blurts out.

Asami relaxes her body and turns to face the avatar. The girl looks at her shuffling feet and fiddles with her towel. She scowls in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. Here, in this room, the mighty avatar looks like a guilty child admitting she ate a cookie before dinner. 

“Korra, it’s fine. I forgave you a long time ago. Do you think I would’ve stayed with you guys if I didn’t?”

Korra shrugs. “I guess not. I thought… I thought you stayed for other reasons.” Her voice trails off. 

“I stayed because you guys are my friends, you’re my friend. I stayed because,” She remembers the night they discovered her father’s sinister plans. “Because you guys were doing the right thing.” 

The girl still refuses to look her in the eye. She nods with reluctance. 

She takes another step toward Korra. “I’m not mad at you or Mako. Not anymore. He tossed me aside like an apple core. But hey, you know what, the seeds in that core don’t need fire to grow they need water and dirt. I should actually thank him for that.” A melancholy smile appears on her face. She puts a hand on Korra’s shoulder, the avatar looks up at her. “You guys seem happy now, I’m really happy for the both of you.” 

“Thanks.”

“But Korra, be careful with him.” 

The avatar’s face hardens, the warrior Asami knows awakens at her words. 

“I care about you and I don’t want to see you get hurt.” 

Korra looks up, backlash forming in her throat. Her face softens when her eyes meets Asami’s. She is not lying. She watches Korra’s face, the girl is looking for words she cannot find. Asami does the only thing she can think to do and pulls the girl into a hug. 

“Thanks again.” Her voice nearly a whisper as she releases her embrace. She walks toward the door.

“Hey,” Korra calls out. “She really will okay. Lin will make sure of it.” 

Asami responds with a smile and walks out the door. She grips her arms as she walks down the empty corridor of the girls’ dormitories. Small lanterns line the walls, their yellow glow guides her to the door. The crisp night air blows through her hair. Her now misshapen hair clip back in it’s rightful place. She has others, but this one is her favorite. Her loose skirt flutters around her knees and sends a cold shiver up her legs. 

The ocean is calm tonight. A single patrol boat floats far from the shore of the mainland, a small blinking red light alerts people to its presence. Asami sits on the top step of the porch leading into the dormitories. Her unresolved argument with Sanya replays in her mind as guilt builds up in her chest. The incident at her factory causes a heavy heart. She closes her eyes, like closing a damn to prevent a flood. Never in her life has felt as lost as she does now. Her mind flip flops between unbearable rage and suffocating hopelessness. A cyclone of thoughts sweeps her up, but she pulled out of it by the sound of barking. 

She opens her eyes to see Jet closely followed by Naga. The wolf’s tongue hangs out of his mouth and his ears flop as he bounds toward the girl. Naga’s steps are slow as she follows the wolf. 

“Hey buddy.” Asami says as she rubs Jet’s head. “Looks like you found a friend.”

He responds with an affectionate head butt. 

Naga lies down beside Asami. “Hello to you too.” She pets the massive polar bear dog.

“He’s been worried about you all day.” A deep voice comes from her right. 

Pebble carries an empty metal bowl so large Asami would have needed to use both arms to lift it. He only needs one. 

“They tell me you haven’t eaten yet. You know how I get when I hear such things.” His free hand carries a brown paper bag. “At least have some sweet rolls.” 

Asami opens her mouth to protest. 

“Please?” 

She sighs and nods. She gets to her feet to accept the bag. Jet and Naga begin to play as they wrestle in the dirt. 

“These ones are just relentless. No matter how much you tell them to stop, they won’t until they’re fed.” Pebble chuckles. 

Asami smiles as she takes a bite out of a sweet roll. 

“Well, I’m off. The pups are fed so my work here is done. I’m sure you’ve had people telling you the same thing all day. You don’t need that from me. But please, eat up Miss Sato. I feel as though that is the only comfort I can give. Food.” He winks. 

The grin on her face widens. It feels as though a weight has been lifted from her shoulders. Pebble turns to leave, motioning for the animals to follow him. She watches as he walks way followed by a polar bear dog. The wolf stays by her side. She shoves the rest of the sweet roll in her mouth and darts toward the hulking man. She throws her arms around his waist and squeezes. 

“Thank you.” She says. 

He chuckles and pats her arm. 

“Li!” The voice Asami has been waiting to hear calls out. 

She releases her grip and looks up to find Lin walking towards her. Pebble waves, Lin returns the gesture. Asami runs to the woman with the wolf by her side. Something hits her thigh repeatedly as she takes each step. She waves away Jet thinking it is the wolf’s tail. She skids to a stop before the metal bender. 

Asami opens her mouth to speak, but the words are caught in a flurry of thoughts. 

Lin raises a hand. “How are you holding up?”

“Fine. Surprisingly.” 

“I bet you were worried too.” She scratches Jet’s head. 

The wolf reciprocates the gesture by licking Lin’s bare hands. 

“I heard my niece stopped by the police station earlier today.” A crooked smirk grows on her face. 

“Right, about that…” Blood rushes to the girl’s face. 

“I’m assuming you took care of whatever it was you needed to take care of?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Good. Have you had a chance to look through it all?”

“Not really. Just a quick skim of my father’s file. It’s still in my my bag, in my room. You can take them if you’d like.”

Lin nods. “Well, the factory is in pretty bad shape. That second explosion did a number on it, but it’s fixable. Remind me to scold Sanya for that.”

“Umm.” The girl clutches her jacket sleeve. “That was actually me. It was an accident.”

In all her time knowing the woman, this is the first time she has seen Lin’s jaw drop. “You have been spending too much with my niece.” Her steel gaze softens as she laughs. 

“How is she?” 

“She’s fine. Slept most of the day, that’s why we came back so late. She’s still down by the docks with auntie. No need to worry about her. Except,”

“Except what?”

“That man she blood bent, he didn’t make. Lost too much blood. The other two are fine and in custody. She doesn’t know yet. I’ll tell her when the time is right.”

An odd feeling, or rather lack thereof, confuses Asami. This lack of guilt causes actual guilt. 

“Hey, are you all right?” 

“How many more people have to die?”

“I don’t know, kid. I really don’t know. You’ve got a lot on your shoulders. Thinking about that won’t help. Go spend some time with someone who makes you happy.” Her heavy hand pats the girl’s shoulder. 

She shoves the bag of sweet rolls into Lin’s hands and darts past her. Her feet kick up dirt as she jogs down the path to the docks. Jet runs beside her. 

“Jet!” She says between breaths, thinking the wolf’s tail is hitting her again. 

A heavy heart races, not because she is winded, but because of closeted excitement. Asami cannot decide if she wants to hug Sanya or scold her. 

She slows her pace when the water tribe women come into view. Their lips move, but she cannot hear what they are saying. Sanya wears clean arm sleeves and a grey shirt with the insignia of the Republic City metal bending police printed on the front. She holds slippers and a bag of sweets in her right hand while her left hand tugs at her arm sleeve. Katara is also barefoot, holding a bag of clothes and her shoes in her arms. 

Jet jumps onto Sanya, nearly knocking the girl over. Katara smiles and gives the girl a peck on the cheek before pointing at Asami. She freezes. Sanya’s body stiffens. 

Katara walks by the girl and puts a hand on her arm. “Don’t just stand there.” She gives the girl a push. 

Her steps are slow. Sanya begins to fidget. 

“I only ate a few.” She holds up the bag. 

Asami takes it, her eyes not leaving the girl’s tired face. The blue in her eyes no longer burns with a fury. Healed cuts above her eyebrow are a pale red on her tan skin. Jet stands between them. His head tilts to the side as eyes dart from one girl to the other. He bolts out of the way as Asami lunges toward the water bender. She throws her arms around her neck and squeezes. 

“Thank you.” She whispers in Sanya’s ear.

The water bender’s arms slide up her back as she returns the embrace. Asami can feel her inhale, the muscles in her back tense. She thinks she might say something. She remains silent. As she exhales and relaxes as she gives Asami a squeeze. 

“Umm. Do you want to go out for a bit?” Sanya asks as she steps out of Asami’s arms. 

“Sure.”  

Sanya walks down the shore. Asami and Jet follow. They are silent. The sound of gentle waves lapping against the sand is the only sound they hear. She watches the girl walk from behind as she clutches the the bag of sweets close to her chest. Her hair is undone, strands of slivery white hair fly with the gentle breeze. Despite being with Sanya again, she still worries. The worst possible outcomes begin playing out in her mind. She focuses on her breathing and tries to quiet her mind. Jet whines beside her. The wolf looks up. She thinks he might be concerned. Asami places a hand on his back and strokes his fur. 

“I’m sure no one will mind if we borrow a boat.” Sanya stops by the dock, her thumb pointing to a medium sized motor boat. 

“Won’t they hear us?”

“Oh Asami, of course not.” A mischievous grin grows on her face. 

Sanya unties the a rope from a pole on the dock and tosses her shoes into the boat before jumping in. She offers Asami a hand. She does not hesitate and takes the girl’s hand. 

“Jet, no.” Sanya’s voice is firm. “Stay. Howl if anything happens.” 

The wolf whines, but obeys. 

Asami sits on the worn leather backseat of the boat. It is hard and the cracks on the leather poke at her thighs. She scoots down to the floor. 

“Ready?” Sanya asks. 

She nods. 

The water bender jumps into the water. Her body causing ripples to rock the boat slightly. Jet does not seem concerned as he lies on the dock staring at the moon. Just as Asami is about to get to her feet, the boat begins to move. It picks up speed as they leave the harbor of the island. She sits with her back against the seat. The boat makes a sharp turn and nearly knocks her over. They make their way to the open sea, away from the island and Republic City. Asami turns around to watch the city shrink. The lights become smaller and nearly fade into the night. The statue of Avatar Aang no longer seems like a giant stone guardian, but more like a child’s toy. 

The boat slows to a stop. Sanya rises out of the water on a pillar of ice and steps into the boat. She is completely dry. She stands completely still. The heiress looks past the girl. The lights and smoke of the city no longer hide the brilliance of the night sky. Shades of purples and bright slivers are painted onto a black canvas. A nearly full moon watches over them. 

Sanya takes a deep breath. She draws a half circle with each hand and holds out her arms with her palms facing out. Her right foot shifts. Swift fists jab the air. Her hands open, palms now parallel to the sea. She exhales as if to tell the restless ocean to settle down. 

The gentle rocking of the boat stops. She looks out the side of the boat. Sanya has stopped the waves. The water is still, like a giant black mirror reflecting the beauty of the sky. The waves have stopped as far as she can see. The division between sky and sea no longer exists. She reaches over the side of the boat and dips a finger into the cold water. No ripples. She is in complete awe. Her mind goes blank. She catches the water bender staring at her from the corner of her eye.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything this beautiful before.” She continues to gaze at the galaxy beneath her. 

“Neither have I.” Sanya says under her breath, still staring at her. 

Blood rushes to Asami’s face. Sanya drops her gaze and stares at her hands when Asami looks at her. The boat begins to rock gently. The water bender takes a seat adjacent to Asami. 

Neither of them say a word. Asami looks down at her bag of sweets and scoots closer to the water bender. She takes a cube and offers it to the girl. 

“Thanks.” Sanya says with a smile as she takes the candy. “They were supposed to be for you but I ended up eating most of them.” She jokes. “They didn’t really give me much food at the station.” 

Asami takes a piece and puts it in her mouth. “I am truly sorry for the things I said that might’ve hurt you. And for getting you involved in all of this.”

Sanya shakes her head. “It’s okay. I like to think I walked into right alongside you. And I get it now and I’m sorry for my reaction. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.” She finally looks up.“I think I hurt myself to be honest. What a big surprise. Stupid Sanya messing herself up again.” She only half jokes. 

“Hey now, stop that. Everyone messes up, that’s totally normal. And I think we’re all still upset over what happened in Ba Sing Se. But you,” She points a playful finger at the girl. “Are not stupid.” 

“Thanks.” She lets out a small laugh. 

The girls are silent again. 

“I don’t think there’s anything I can say to make things better. What happened to your factory and what’s going on with your dad and all. I’m sorry for that. It kind of makes me mad, I feel so useless. But if I can do things like this, to get your mind off things for a bit, I don’t know.” She runs her hand through her hair. “I tell myself it might help because I really don’t know what else to do.” Sanya traces the edges of her arm sleeves. 

Asami’s heart aches. She opens her mouth to speak but she has nothing to say. 

She takes Sanya’s hand and squeezes it. “Thank you.” 

The girls are silent. They stare at the moon, the water, the boat’s floor, but refuse to look at each other. Asami thinks that time has stopped. Her problems were left on shore and suddenly her memories do not seem so bad. 

She lets out a small laugh. “I could’ve really used your help earlier today.” She finds curious blue eyes staring at her.

“I broke into the police chief’s office.” Confusion contorts her face. “I can’t believe I actually said that.”

“I can’t believe you actually did that.”

They both giggle. 

“Why did you do that?” 

“Lin hinted that there might be some useful files. I don’t know, it seemed like the right thing to do.” She shrugs. 

“How’d you get in?” 

She points to her hair clip, a proud grin on her face. “Are you impressed?” 

Sanya lets go of Asami’s hand and crosses her arms. “Hmm.” She strokes an invisible beard. “No, not really.” She shakes her head with a mischievous smirk on her face. 

“Well, what do I have to do to impress you?”

“Get auntie to wear the frilliest, puffiest, dress you can find.”

“That’s impossible. I’m sorry, I don’t think anyone can do that.” 

Sanya laughs. “It’s funny, I should be the one trying to impress you.” She rests her head on the side of the boat. Her smile fades as she looks at Asami. “I forgot my name the first time you kissed me. I’d say that’s pretty impressive. I think I should try harder. To make you forget all about that fire bender boy and what he did.” 

“Sanya.” Asami gets to her knees and kneels before the girl, making sure she can look no where else. “You just stopped the ocean for me. I’ve already forgotten about what happened. So stop worrying about it. And don’t you dare ever call yourself dirt again, you hear me? You’re amazing and I know for a fact that I’m not the only one who thinks so. Now, I’m going to make you forget your name again, okay?”

The girl slowly nods yes, her eyes filled with awe. 

Asami takes her face in her hands. She leans in, but Sanya rises to meet her lips. She feels strong hands on her back pulling her closer. Sanya’s lip are soft and taste of chocolate. Every nerve in her body stands on end. For that moment, her mind is silent.

She pulls away, still holding Sanya’s face her hands. “What’s your name?” She grins.

“San-“

Asami silences her with a kiss. She moves closer, allowing the girl to pull her in. She pushes apart her knees with her torso and nestles in between them. Sanya’s hands slowly run up and down her back. She presses her body against hers. Their kiss deepens. A familiar nagging in the pit of Asami’s stomach craves more of the girl. Her taste lingers on Asami’s tongue. 

She pulls away again. Her breathing is heavy. The water bender’s breath dries the wetness on her lips. 

“What’s your name?” Asami’s mouth curls into another mischievous smirk. 

“Umm. San-“ She replies between breaths. 

Asami dives in again. Her lips press harder, wanting to taste more of this girl. She can feel a smile spreading across the water bender’s mouth. A smile she has seen form many times. A smile she has also seen disappear. Her hands find their way down to Sanya’s torso. She slips her hands under Sanya’s shirt. The girl’s warm skin ignites a fire in Asami. The nagging in her stomach drops below her waist and becomes stronger. It fills her with a sense of urgency. She runs her hand down Sanya’s ribs and stomach. Her finger traces the tattoos on her hip. The girls’ movement causes the boat’s rocking to increase. 

Despite her body’s protest, Asami pulls away. “What’s your name?” 

Sanya bites back a grin and pulls her close before pushing her down onto the boat’s floor. She straddles Asami’s thighs, a curtain of black and silver hair falls down to one side. 

“Whatever you want it to be.” Sanya’s grin widens. 

Asami moves strands of white hair out of the girl’s face. Sanya’s hands run up her side, causing her body to move up. Her heart pounds against her chest. She grips Sanya’s shirt at the shoulder, pulling the girl closer to her. Her body tingles with anticipation. Asami’s eyes are glued to the water bender’s mouth. Her mind replays words it has spoken. Her finger traces over newly formed scars above the girl’s eyebrow and on her chin. They don familiar pink hue of being healed by a master water bender.

“I’m sorry.” Asami whispers. 

Sanya gently shakes her head no. “Don’t be.”

She pulls the girl closer. The hunger in the pit of her stomach screams for attention. Her body craves Sanya. A fires blazes through her body, sending each touch below her waist to intensify this unrelenting feeling. With a sharp inhale, she closes her eyes and, _Honk!_

A boat horn blares. 

Sanya jumps off the heiress. “Monkey feathers!” She screams.

A bright red light washes over them.

Asami covers her face. Her chest rises and falls with heavy breaths of frustration. She beings to giggle. 

“We’re good!” Sanya screams. 

The heiress peeks out from between her fingers to find the water bender covering her face with one hand and giving the patrol boat a thumb’s up. 

“Nope. I lied. I’m not good.” She adds as she slips off the boat and into the water. 

She can no longer quiet her giggling. Her body screams with protest at the sudden interruption, but the urgent nagging in her soon fades.The patrol boat drifts along the water, continuing its duties. Asami pops another piece of chocolate into her mouth as she rests her arms on the ledge. Ripples bounce off the boat’s walls. Circles become larger and larger until they disappear. The water is calm again. An exhale leaves her mouth. The reflection of the moon dances on the waves as the boat’s gentle rocking relaxes her body. A lazy hand falls over the edge and allows warm fingertips to brush over liquid glass. The water above Sanya has become warmer than the surrounding areas. Bubbles rise to the surface and pop upon touching her fingers. Sanya rises to the surface. A sheet of water falls from her head and into the sea. Her long hair covers her face.

“I had to make sure there weren’t any equalist boats lurking down there.” Her voice is playful. “In the event that they came to your factory looking to steal boats. Do you guys even make boats?”

Asami nods yes and moves wet silvery hair from the girl’s face to reveal bright blue orbs staring back at her. She unwraps a piece of chocolate and puts it in Sanya’s mouth. She says nothing as she continues to brush away wet hair from the water bender’s face. She exhales as though a sudden weight has been lifted from her back. She wonders what they could have come to steal from her factory that was so important they were willing to attack in during the day. But the thoughts do not bother her. 

“Must’ve been a lot more important than a boat if they went through all that trouble. And in the during the day too. They’re either getting very desperate or very confident.” Her words carry her nonchalance. “I feel like I should care more than I do right now.” 

The water bender says nothing. Asami can see the gears churning in her mind. 

“But they did go through a lot of trouble to make their fire blue. Why?” Sanya asks. 

A bulb goes off in Asami’s head. 

“You said earlier that the only person who could make fire that color was your aunt Azula, right?”

“Yes.”

“What about her brother?”

Sanya shakes her head no. “He’s an amazing fire bander, but he just can’t do it.” 

Asami chews over her thoughts. 

“What are you saying? They’re trying to frame auntie ‘Zula?”

She raises an eyebrow.

“I’m listening.”

“Avatar day is soon. The fire lord usually comes here to celebrate. Has she ever come with him?”

“A few times.”

“The workers, my workers they would’ve been frantic. Their memories would’ve been all jumbled up. It would be very easy for someone to manipulate that. If there was any chance of her coming here, they would easily be able to pin it on her.”

The water around Sanya begins to swirl. “But why? Auntie doesn’t know you. I’m pretty sure she owns several of your cars too.” 

“Why not? After all the drama with my father. I’m sure by now most people know how my mother died. The poor little Sato girl with a bankrupt company bulled by the world’s greatest fire bender while equalists lose their lives trying to help me. How easy would it be to rack up sympathy to their cause with that headline?” 

“But he wouldn’t do that to his own daughter?” The water bander pauses. “Would he?” 

Asami falls back on her hands. The realization hits her. “I think I stopped being his daughter a while ago.” There is no pain. No sadness. Just confusion and knowledge of the arduous task of acceptance that lies ahead. 

Sanya lunges out of the water and wraps her wet arms around her shoulders. Warm water seeps into her clothing as she returns the gesture. 

The girl releases her. “Sorry.” She bends away the water from Asami’s clothes and retreats back into the water. “Are you up for some more sneaking around today?” 

“I have a feeling you want to do something Lin would not approve of you doing.”

“Well, auntie works outside of the law these days. I’m sure she won’t be too mad.” 

“What’s your plan Miss Sanya?” 

“I am glad you asked, Miss Sato.” She rises to her feet, waves the water away from her body, and begins pacing beside the boat. “We go back to the factory and look for clues and any proof of what you’re saying. The police would have thinned out by now.” 

“You want to sneak into a crime scene?” 

“That just happens to be on your property. So, it wouldn’t technically be sneaking. Who’s gonna say anything?”

Asami crosses her arms across her chest and taps her chin with her finger. “Hmm. The entire Republic City police force maybe?”

Sanya stands on still water. “Okay, besides them.”

She laughs. “Let’s do it.” 

“All right. Let’s break some rules!” A wall of water rises and falls behind her. “I probably shouldn’t have done that.” She slips down into water. 

Asami gets up and sits on the boat’s hard bench. “Sanya.” She raises her voice. “We might need Jet for this.” 

A stream of water shoots up and forms itself into a fist with the thumb up. 

The boat takes off. She closes her eyes and pretends she is weightless. The frigid wind runs unseen fingers through her hair, carrying away the worries that plague her mind. There is no doubt those worries will return, but she is grateful for the moment she has without them. She opens her eyes to find the cityscape growing. Avatar Aang proudly looks upon at the city he built. 

The boat makes a slight turn and heads toward Air Temple Island. The dock comes into a view. A white ball of fur springs to life. The wolf paces the length of the dock. He never takes his eyes off them. The boat slows as it nears the dock. Asami wonders how Sanya knew to slow down. With a running start, Jet leaps off the dock and crashes into the boat’s floor. He scrambles to his feet and head butts her as he rests his paws on her lap. 

“Are you all right buddy?” Her hands furiously pet the wolf. “I need a favor. Can you sniff out some clues for me.” 

He tilts his head at her words. 

“I’m not even sure if you can understand me.” She runs her hands through his fur. 

The shores of the mainland come into view. The city’s bright lights outshine the brilliant stars she saw not so long ago. She turns back and looks out on open water. _Just how far out did we go?_ She wonders. 

The boat crawls to a stop, its bottom scraping against the rocky shore. A funnel of water propels Sanya into the air and onto the ground. The girl holds onto her knees and breathes heavily. Asami grabs Sanya’s shoes and hops off the boat. A lump hits her thigh. She looks back to find Jet still on the boat. She reaches into the pocket of her skirt to find car keys. 

“Oh no, I forgot.”

“What?” Sanya asks still resting on her knees. 

“I forgot to give Lin back her car keys.” She walks over to the water bender. “Hey, are you all right?” She rubs Sanya’s back and places her shoes at her feet. 

“Yeah, just a little tired.” She straightens up. 

Jet hurries over to the girls. He begins to whine and lick Sanya’s hands. Deep red spots seep through the white fabric of her arm sleeves. 

“Spirits, what happened? Maybe we should go back.” Asami takes the girls’ arm and begins to pull off the sleeve. 

“No, we have to go. I’m fine. I didn’t even notice!” She puts a hand on Asami’s, stopping the sleeve from being pulled any further. “So where did you park?” 

She does not answer. Her eyes are glued to the red patches on the water bender’s arm. 

Sanya takes Asami’s face in her hands and forces the girl to look at her. “I’m fine.” She says with a weak smile on her face. 

“Okay.” She nods. “I parked just up here.” 

They walk up the dirt path in silence. Asami’s stomach turns over. The image of Sanya’s bloodied sleeves digs up memories she wishes were left buried. How many more people will get hurt because of her? 

“Hey.” Sanya grabs her hand.

Asami stops and turns around. 

The water bender hunches her shoulders and clutches her arm. The wind blows silvery locks out of her face. “Are we okay?”

She exhales. “Yeah. We’re okay. She brushes hair out of her face. “I’m okay.” An exhale leaves her lips. “You’re okay.” She squeezes Sanya’s hand. “Do you have a plan?”

The girl stands up taller. “Of course! Planning runs in my family.” She flashes a grin. 

“I’m going to need to borrow your jacket please.” 

Asami releases the girl’s hand and removes her jacket. Sanya removes her shirt and places it over Jet’s body.

The wolf does not budge. 

“You don’t happen to have a hat of some sort do you?” She asks as she buttons up Asami’s jacket.

“I don’t. I don’t think Lin has one in her car either.” She chews on her lip. Her eyes light up. “But I think I can get us one.” She jogs up the rest of the path. 

Sanya and Jet follow. 

“Stay here.” She holds up a hand. 

Few people walk this part of the city at this hour. She thinks her plan might backfire. Until she sees him. A man in well tailored suit struts down the street. A leather newsboy’s hat sits atop greying hair. She walks out onto the street and holds her nearly empty bag of candy with both hands. She looks up, then down. She makes eye contact with the man in the suit. Asami feigns a smile and flips her hair. She adds a wink for good measure before she looks away. _This isn’t going to work, what am I doing?_

“Hey there pretty lady. Isn’t it dangerous for you to be out on your own so late at night?” A deep male voice says.

_I can’t believe it worked._

She feigns another smile as she unwraps a piece of chocolate. “I think it’s more dangerous for you.” She puts the chocolate in her mouth.

“What?” The man’s nervousness shows in his laugh. “Come on, now. Stop playing with me sweetheart.”

The girl giggles and flips her hair again. “Oh, I’m not playing. Don’t scream, don’t run away, don’t try to fight. Keep that smile on your face” The grin on her face widens. “Give me your hat and I’ll let you walk away from this.” 

He strains to keep the grin on his face. A bead of sweat rolls down his face. 

Asami grins with her hands on her back as she stands on her toes. 

A shaky hand removes the hat from his head and slowly hands it to Asami. 

“Thank you.” She squeezes his arm and nearly skips away. 

She makes her way back to Sanya and Jet. She shoves the hat into the water bender’s hands.

“Is hair bending a thing? Because I’m sure that’s what you just did.” Sanya jokes. 

Asami shrugs they jog to Lin’s car. 

Sanya jumps into the backseat. Jet and Asami take their seats in the front. 

“Is auntie’s thermos down there some where?” 

Asami puts the key into the ignition before reaching under the passenger seat to grab the thermos. “Does she always have one in her car?”

“She does. She takes it every morning but she never drinks it. I really couldn’t tell you why.”

She tosses the thermos over her shoulder. “Sanya, take off your pants.” She says as she begins to wriggle out of her skirt. 

Sanya spits strong tea into Jet’s face. “This is not how I imagined it would be like when you said that to me.” 

“What?” 

“Sorry Jet!” She rubs the wolf’s head as he licks tea off his face. 

Asami laughs. 

“Here you go.” Sanya tosses her pants into the front seat. 

Asami hands off her skirt. 

“Have you got an extra hair clip?” 

Asami pulls on Sanya’s pants and removes her hair clip. She turns back to see Sanya in her clothes. She cannot hold back a smile. Her jacket fits snuggly over the girl’s biceps, but is too short to cover her lower abdomen. Her skirt rides just below Sanya’s hips, exposing her tattoos. 

“Shut up.” The water bender’s face reddens as she crosses her arms over her chest. 

“I’m sorry. You look good. Really. I never thought I’d see you in a skirt.” 

More blood rushes to Sanya’s face. 

“Come here.” Asami gestures for her to lean closer. 

She obeys. The heiress pulls back strands of white hair. She takes her clip and fastens it to the bundle of white atop the girl’s head. Asami leans over to grab the cap and places it on Sanya’s head. She adjusts it so it covers all the white. 

“If only I had my make-up bag.” An exaggerated sigh leaves her lips. 

“I didn’t think I looked that bad.” 

“You don’t. That’s the problem. You look too good.” She leans in a gives the girl a peck on the lips. “Are you ready?”

“Let’s go.”

Asami starts the car and drive onto the nearly empty street. 

“What’ll we do when we get there?” Asami asks.

“Tell them you own the place. You want to take a look around. I’m your, umm, lawyer.” 

“My lawyer?” 

“Well, can you think of anything better!”

The gears in her mind turn. “You’re my older cousin who happens to be in town and is with me for emotional support.”

“Can I also be a lawyer?” 

Asami laughs. “Yes.” She turns to Jet. “This girl is something else.” 

He yelps in response. 

“Why would we need disguises then?”

“Well, you don’t need one. But the police force and I aren’t exactly friends right now.”

“Spirits, Sanya!”

“If I had money for every time I heard that, I’d be as rich as you.”

“How much trouble will you be in if they catch you going back there?”

“Not much. I’m sure they’ll just haul me back to the station.”

“I’m turning back.” 

The car screeches to a halt. Drivers behind her honk and curse at her. 

“No! We have to do this. We might find something that will help us stop all this nonsense. Asami, I’ll be fine. I can’t ask you to trust me, but I’m asking you to give me a chance, give this a chance. Please.” 

Asami turns around. She ignores all the noise from the street. Sanya’s eyes plead with her. And she cannot say no. “All right.” She stomps on the gas. “But, pull up your skirt. I think your tattoos might give you away.”

“Thank you.” The girl yanks up her skirt.

She puts more weight on the gas pedal. “Where are you visiting from?”

“Umm. The Fire Nation. That’s believable right? I don’t look too much like a water tribe girl right now do I?”

Asami adjusts the rearview mirror. Sanya holds on to her hat and fiddles with her clothes. 

“I’m sure they won’t ask.” 

“How do we explain Jet.”

“Korra has never had to explain Naga, I’m sure we’ll be fine.” 

Sanya looks into the rearview mirror. “Everything will go horribly wrong won’t it?” 

“Yes, most likely.” 

The girls laugh. 

“Considering everything we’ve been through, I think we can handle whatever happens tonight.” 

She watches the water bender through the mirror. She thinks back to the night she first met Sanya and everything they have endured since that night. Despite all the pain and bloodshed, this girl still chooses to walk by her side. 

“Sanya?”

“Yes Miss Sato.” Her voice is high and shaky. “Sorry, I thought I’d try a new voice.” 

Asami grins. 

“Is something wrong?”

“Umm.” Her mind cannot find the proper words to express gratitude, guilt, and contentedness. “How’s your arm?” 

The girl raises an eyebrow. “Just fine. Don’t you worry about that.” 

She worries. 

They drive by a quiet street. People huddle over fires they’ve made in trash bins. Tents have been set up on the far side of the street. Asami sees familiar faces. She knows these people were bullied by former Councilman Tarrlok. Rage fills her chest to know the current council has done nothing to help them. The car slows. 

“Something wrong?” Sanya leans over the front seat. 

“These people. I’ve seen them before. They’re all non-benders who were all nearly arrested by a former councilman, a water bender. I can’t believe no one has helped them yet.”

Sanya falls back into her seat. From the rearview mirror Asami can the girl’s face. Eyes under furrowed brows are glued to the mass of people. Her jaw stiffens as she clenches her fist. 

“Please don’t think we’re all like him.” Her voice is softer than usual. 

“I don’t.”

“Can we help them?” 

“We’ll do our best.”

To her right Asami sees a man walking a bit too upright to be one of the non-benders living in this camp. He grins as he pushes a young woman out of the way. She begins to shake. Asami removes her foot from the pedal and lets the car roll forward. He grabs her by the shirt, but she removes it and tries to run. With a slide of his foot, the ground beneath the woman slides back. She tumbles forward. He towers over her, his menacing grin widens. He stomps his foot. A wall of earth prevents the woman from crawling any further. Asami’s grip on her steering wheel tightens. Before she can jump out of the car, a stream of water whizzes by her. The man is pinned to a nearby building by shards of ice. A puddle beside him turns into a frozen ball and hurls itself into his stomach. He screams. A group of six men round the corner upon hearing the cry. They run to the man. 

“Asami, would you be so kind as to drive a bit faster please.” 

Her foots drops on the pedal. The car lurches forward. She sees angry faces searching for the culprit in her mirror.

“I’m not in the mood to fight anyone else today.” Sanya slumps in her seat. 

 

The rest of the ride is silent. Asami has the feeling it has been a long time since Sanya has been back in this city as the girl spent most of the ride taking in every bit of scenery. The factory comes into view. Four cars marked with the police department’s insignia are parked nearby. Asami takes a sharp turn, making her tires scream. Jet falls into her lap and whines. She parks away from the police vehicles. 

“Could’ve warned me.” Sanya is sprawled out on the backseat. 

“Sorry.” She looks past the girl. “You were right, there aren’t that many of them now.

“Don’t sound so surprised.” Sanya teases. “Can you check the glove compartment. There should be a pair of glasses in there.”

She complies despite her doubts. Much to her surprise a silver tube rolls out onto her hand. “I didn’t know Lin wore glasses.”

“She doesn’t like to, so she never wears them.” Sanya grabs the case. “I thought this would add to the look.” She slips the glasses onto her face. 

She gives her a thumbs up. “Let’s go.” 

The girls hop out of the car, Jet follows. Asami hopes luck is on their side as they walk by the police vehicles. 

Sanya stumbles. “I didn’t know auntie’s glasses were so strong.” 

Asami takes her arm and guides her. “Jet, take the other side.” 

The wolf obeys. 

A woman stands guard at the entrance of the factory. She is tall and unmoving, a living statue at her post. Her dark eyes scan the surrounding ares until they land on the girls. 

“Excuse me ladies, you are not allowed on this property. If you would kindly vacate the area we won’t have any trouble here.” Her voice stern and confident, a voice one might think a police officer to have. 

“Why am I not allowed on this property? This is my property.” Asami says as they near the guard. She turns to Sanya as they stop before the entrance beneath a streetlight. “Is this not my property?”

“This is your property.” Sanya puts a hand on her hip and adjusts her glasses. 

The guard raises an eyebrow. “You’re Asami Sato?”

“I am.”

“She is.”

The guard turns to Sanya. “Have we met before?” 

“No.” Sanya turns away.”

“Right… So… Who are you?” 

“Miss Fire.”

“Miss Fire?” The guard and Asami say at the same time. 

“Yes.” Sanya holds her head high. 

“Do you have a first name Miss Fire?”

“Sapphire.” 

“Sapphire Fire?”

“Okay, then Miss Fire I’m sure you’re aware who I am.”

Sanya scoffs and leans back, exaggerating her every move. “I didn’t realize this was a game of who in the world are you.” 

Asami’s elbow jams into the girl’s side. “My apologies for my cousin. You know how lawyers are, always so defensive.” 

“And what about the mutt?”

Jet tilts his head.

“It’s her seeing eye… Wolf. She doesn’t have the best eyesight you see.” Asami adds. 

Sanya points a finger to the left of the guard. “He is a rare, majestic wolf. Not some common goat dog. Got it?”

Asami turns her head slightly so she faces the woman. 

The guard raises an eyebrow. “Right. Well, we can’t let you in ma’am.”

“Why not?” 

“Crime scene.”

“I am fully aware of that. But this is still my property.”

“We have permission from the police chief to head on in.” Sanya adds. 

“No one told us.”

“We’re telling you now.” Asami says. 

The woman is unmoving. She shifts her weight as her eyes dart from Asami to Sanya to Jet. 

“Have you any idea what sort of trauma this young woman has endured?” Sanya takes a step forward. “All this equalist nonsense, then her factory gets blown to bits! Her life was in this factory! Would it be so much trouble for her to take a look inside and grab what few precious belongs that survived this horrible attack! And the chief’s word is not good enough for you? The audacity!”

“Umm. Well, I guess-“

“You guess! You have no idea what it’s like for her! And now she can’t even go inside her own factory! What’s next? Her home?” Sanya glares at space left of the woman.  

Asami turns her toward the right direction.

Sanya’s glare intensifies.

The formerly unmoving statue now turns into a fidgeting girl. “I guess I can let you in.”

“Good.” Sanya takes a step back and crosses her arms. “Clear out whoever is in there as well.”

“I don’t think I can,”

“Are we not allowed our privacy as citizens!” 

“Well, ma’am I’m not really allowed to,”

Sanya glares. Asami looks down at her feet, doing her best to look as innocent as newborn moose lion cub. Jet whines. 

“Fine.” The woman drops her stiff demeanor. “Just wait out here. I’ll give you the go ahead.” She opens the door and walks through. 

“Sapphire Fire? Really?” Asami does her best to contain a laugh as the heavy steel doors close. 

“I panicked! I remembered a story Grumps told me and that the first thing that came to mind.” 

Asami hides her giggling face behind a hand. “I really didn’t think that was going to work. Good job Miss Fire.” 

“Have a little more faith in me Miss Sato.” 

“What are we looking for in there anyway?” Asami keeps her voice down. “Wouldn’t the police have taken anything that was worth taking?”

“Well, I think I kept them busy this afternoon so there wasn’t much time for that. They would be doing that now I think. Let’s just hope they’re too tired to do any real digging.” She points to Jet. “And you. Sniff out anything. Anything that isn’t food.” She pats his head. 

The heavy steel door creaks open. The woman who stood guard walks out followed by another woman. Familiar piecing green eyes greet Asami. 

“What’s going on here?” The woman asks. 

“Well, Sergeant Hana these girls need to take a look inside.”

She freezes. Could she really trust this Sergeant Hana? She holds her breath in an attempt to hide her nerves. 

“You.” Sergeant Hana points to Asami.

Asami does not say a word. She does her best to be like Lin, offering her best impression of the woman’s iron gaze. 

“The Chief told me about you. She said you’re made of stone. You’re a sly one too. How’s that super secret mission of yours going?”

“Oh, it goes.” A nervous laugh escapes her lips. 

“She? Ma’am the chief isn’t a she.”

“Lin Beifong will always be my chief.” 

A wide grin appears on the water bender’s face. There is no doubt in Asami’s mind that she is trying to contain her pride. 

Sergeant Hana opens the door. “Hey, all of you drop what you’re doing and get out here. We’re taking a break. Tea on me.” 

“Ma’am, you’ll get in trouble for this.”

“Yes, I probably will.” She walks away as nine other officers gladly follow her off the premises. 

The woman fidgets before ultimately giving in and following as well. 

“What was that all about?” Sanya asks.

“Oh, nothing.”

They walk in through the door with Jet behind them. 

“Do you know that woman?”

She grins. “Why do you ask? Are you jealous?”

“No!” Sanya crosses her arms.  

Asami punches the girl’s arm. 

“Doesn’t it feel like this was a bit too easy?” Sanya asks. 

“A little bit. I’m not complaining. I’ll take what I can get these days.”

“What has become of our lives that we become suspicious when things are not painfully hard.”

Asami shrugs. She agrees with her and in her mind she laughs. The weight of truth in her words is a reality too heavy for her to carry. So, she laughs. 

Jet runs ahead of them. He disappears into the darkness that is left of the factory. The smile disappears from her face. The bodies have been cleared out, but their shadows remain. Large chunks of the ground are missing. Towering heaps of scorched dirt and rocks litter the floor. Water dripping from within echoes throughout the building. An eerie humming fills her ears. The moon does her best to give them light, but only slivers of her silvery beams make it into the factory. Street lights from nearby add soft yellow light to the factory. Charred arms of once mighty metal giants lie on the floor, still and unmoving. She does not know where her companions have wondered off to, for she momentarily forgets she has companions. Asami feels as though she stands alone in the wreckage.She swallows a lump in her throat. 

“Hey, I found some of that stuff, but it’s all burnt,” Sanya stops speaking and walks over to Asami. “Are you all right?” She puts a hand on her shoulder. 

“Yeah. I just never thought I’d see it like this. All my life I’ve walked into this place thinking it was just so full of wonder. And now… Now it’s like this. ” 

Sanya says nothing. 

“Anyway, sorry. What did you find?” 

“That stuff they used to make the fire blue.” She hold up her hand to reveal blacked crystals. “Jet!”

The wolf comes running out of the darkness. 

Sanya keeps her hand on Asami’s shoulder while she offers the other to the wolf. Jet sniffs the black substance, sneezes, then runs off. 

The girls stand in silence, both staring into the black void before them. Sanya runs her hand across Asami’s shoulders. She leans into her. 

“Sorry, your jacket is kind of tight.” The water bender lets out a light chuckle before unbuttoning the jacket. “I don’t want to rip it or anything.”

“It’s a just jacket. Don’t worry about it. Just like this. It’s just a factory.” 

“It’s not. I know that.” She points to a pile of rubble. “I bet tiny Asami used to play over there.” Her arm sweeps over to a hole in the wall. “I bet she got in trouble over there.” 

Asami’s lips curl into a smile. “Thanks. For coming with me.”

“Sapphire Fire’s here for you any day.” She winks. 

“That’s great, but I think I’d prefer Sanya.” 

Jet howls nearby. 

Sanya is quick to answer the wolf’s call. She takes Asami by the hand and nearly drags her in the direction of the cry. They find Jet clawing at a pile of rubble. Sanya gets to her knees waves the wolf away. _Tap, tap, tap._ Asami whips her head around. She looks down to see Sanya trying to dig into the debris. Jet is tense. Staring in the same direction Asami heard the noise. She motions for the wolf to follow her. With light feet she ventures toward the noise. The sound of something hitting water comes from her left. Jet prowls beside her, he keeps his body close to the ground. 

“Jet, go.” She whispers. 

He presses his nose to the ground and wanders off. Asami’s eyes do no strain to look through the curtain of darkness. She trusts what her ears tell her. Soft footsteps surround her. She cannot tell where they coming from or who is making them. They are too light to be Sanya’s feet. Jet appears by her side. He bares his teeth and snarls at the shadows. She stares beyond the wall of moonlight between her and a black void. His ears are pulled back as his paws refuse to stay planted on the ground. She is frozen. The wolf does not wait for instruction. He lunges forward. A man screams. 

“Jet! Come back.” 

He bounces back to her. He takes his place beside her, but still bares his teeth. 

“Bad move, girl.” A horse male voice calls out. 

“Yeah, I seem to be making a lot of those lately.” She says to herself. 

A masked man lunges across the sea of moonlight. Asami flinches and readies herself for a fight. Her attacker steps into a puddle. But he does not step out. Ice crawls up the man’s body, stopping just below his neck. He wriggles and grunts as he tries to break free. 

“You didn’t think I’d be stupid enough to come alone, did you?” She relaxes her body. 

Asami turns around to find Sanya standing behind her, partially veiled in darkness. She folds her arms across her chest. Her left hand holds a small white bundle of cheese cloth. 

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” Asami takes a step closer. 

He mumbles under his breath. 

She takes another step and removes his mask. 

“Lu?”

“You know him?” Sanya inquires.

She turns to face the water bender. “He works the front desk at the police station.” She turns back to face Lu. “What are you doing here?”

“Like I’d tell you.” His lips turn blue. “You think I was stupid enough to fall for your little trick at the station? Well, Miss Sato-“

“Yeah, no one asked guy. Just tell us what you came here for.” Sanya interjects. 

Asami hushes the girl. “But you work for the police. I don’t understand.” 

“B-but you should.” His eyes are glued to the heiress. “Y-you’re not a b-bender. I u-used to be.”

“Sanya, let him go. He might not last much longer.” 

“G-gonna listen to y-your master, ice s-savage?”

He is ignored. 

“But, he’ll run.”

“I’ll b-bash your f-face in first.”

“He might die if we leave him in there.” 

“Okay.”

“Y-you’ll die. J-just like everyone y-you loved.” He grins. He knows he has hit a nerve. 

She tightens her jaw. “Make him a puppet.” 

Sanya’s mouth hangs open as she shakes her head no, pleading with her to not make her do it again. 

Asami turns around and mouths, _I’m sorry. I’m bluffing._

The ice melts away and creates a large puddle beneath Lu’s feet. The cold has made his body limp.  

Sanya is quick to place herself behind him. He trows his head back and catches Sanya off guard. The glasses fall from her face and crunch under Lu’s boot. A few well placed punches sends Lu to the ground. The water bender takes his hands holds them behind his back as she makes him kneel. 

“All good?” Asami asks 

The girl nods. “I’ll have to buy auntie new glasses though.”

 “What are you doing here?” Asami asks. 

He spits at her. She steps back, avoiding the ball of saliva. Sanya jams a knee into his back. He flinches in pain.

“Disrespect her one more time and I’ll make sure you’re spitting out your lungs.” 

“Sanya.” She holds out a hand.

She relaxes and removes removes her knee from his back.

“We’ll let you go. Just tell us what you’re doing here. Or we can call the police back in. It’s up to you.”

“I used to be like them. Then that Amon took my bending. I got demoted. I ended up a receptionist.” He scoffs. “You don’t know what it’s like to feel so useless. Like everyone looks down on you.”

“I do know. I’m not a bender either. As I’m sure you are aware.” 

“Yeah, whatever. At least these equalist guys respected me. Treated me like I was a person instead of a servant you can just order around.”

“I understand.”

“No, you don’t. You have money. You have a safety net. I don’t. And look at you now. Ordering around your bender bodyguard. Traitor. You could never know. None of you can.”

“You’re right. I will never know what you’re going through or what you’re feeling. She will never know either.” She points to the girl restraining him. “But you don’t have to do this. I understand what you want, what you need but this isn’t the way to get it.” 

“There is no other way!” 

“There’s always another way.” 

He scoffs and looks away. 

“I don’t think he’ll tell us anything more.” Sanya adds. 

Asami stares at a hole in the ceiling and lets out a deep breath. She struggles to turn the gears in her mind. 

Something scratches at her leg. 

“Jet, not now.” She tries to wave him away. 

“Yes, Jet now!” Sanya says. 

Asami looks down to se the wolf holding a small leather bound journal in his mouth. Bits of paper jut out and stick to Jet’s saliva. The heiress holds out her hand. 

“Hey, that’s mine. You can’t go through that.” Lu says. 

Jet places the journal in her hand. 

“Finders keepers.” She looks through the journal. 

Hand drawn blue prints of the factory and the police station take up multiple pages. Notes with dates and coordinates as well as pages of messy handwriting take up the rest of the pages. Handwriting she is very familiar with decorates the pages. She closes it tucks it under her arm. 

“It belonged to my father. And as his daughter, I think it belongs to me now.”

“Freeze his hands and feet then let him go. We have to talk to Lin.” She walks away from Lu. “Good job Jet.”

Sanya obeys. “Sorry.” She says to the man. 

“You? Sorry? For what?” He mocks. 

“Everything.” Sanya freezes his hands and feet before gently placing him on the ground.  

Sanya catches up with Asami. “Back to the island then?”

She nods yes. “This is my father’s handwriting. He’s planning something and I don’t like it.”

“We might finally have the upper hand? This is a weird feeling.”

They exit the building. 

“Sanya,” She stops walking. “Why did you apologize to him?” 

“Because he’s right.” A sad smile spreads across her face. “Things are easier for us. Most of us take advantage. It’s not fair. I didn’t know what else to do so I apologized.”

“I don’t think he believed you.”

“Do you believe me?”

She nods yes. 

“That’s all I need right now then.” She takes her hand. “Now, we’ve got more stress to give auntie!” 

 

“Are you sure this is your father’s handwriting?” Lin flips through the pages of the journal. 

“Positive.” Asami answers. 

“Right.” She turns to face the girls. “Should I ask about the wardrobe change?” Her eyes scan each of the girls from head to toe. 

“You should not.” Sanya answers. She leans in close to her aunt. “I borrowed your glasses by the way. I dropped them and they broke. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. Gives me another excuse not to wear them.” The woman whispers. 

The group is silent as they stand around Tenzin’s dining room. Korra, Mako, and Bolin stand in the far side of the room. Katara sits between Jet and Pebble. The wolf is nearly asleep in her lap as the large man beside her tends to her cup of tea. Sanya stands behind Asami, rubbing her newly healed arm. 

“And what about this powder?” Lin picks up the cloth bundle. 

“They put it in fire and it turns it blue. I saw some people making this back at Ba Sing Se university. You can mix and match to turn fire yellow or green.” Sanya steps in. 

“I didn’t know you went to Ba Sing Se university.” Asami inquires under her breath. 

The water bender grins, doing her best to look innocent. “I was kicked out for causing an explosion in one of their labs.” 

“I guess you could say, you had a blast while you were there.” Bolin bursts into a fit of laughter before being nudged into silence by his brother. 

Sanya sends him a thumbs up and wink. 

“Anyway, back to the point.” Lin draws their attention to the now opened bundle in her hand. “Why go through so much trouble to make blue fire?”

“To frame Azula of course. She will be here in place of Zuko this year.” Katara adds with nonchalance in her voice. 

“I knew it!” Sanya’s face is determined. “It’s so easy to frame her too.”

“Frame who?” Tenzin walks in through the door. 

“When is auntie coming in?” Lin asks. 

“In five days. She’ll be here the day before Avatar day.” 

“He has to be planning to do something on Avatar day then. Do you think we can stop them?” Asami asks Lin. 

“Maybe. We’ll have to go through this first.” She tosses the journal to Tenzin. “Take a look.” She turns to Korra. “Sorry kid, looks like someone wants to mess up your day.”

“What else is new?” The avatar shrugs. 

“We have to keep Korra safe then.” Mako adds. 

Sanya shakes her head no.“I’m pretty sure we don’t. She’s water tribe, we’re tough girls. Plus, I’m sure she’s up for a fight.” A mischievous smirk spreads on the faces of each of the water tribe women. 

“Do we even have a plan here?” The avatar asks. 

“Yes.” Asami stands up straighter. 

“Stop whatever my fath-“ She pauses and swallows a lump in her throat. “Stop whatever Hiroshi Sato plans to do. Protect the people who show up for Avatar day. Then give the equalists what they want. To stop all this mess once and for all.” She takes a step forward.

“What?” Korra exclaims. 

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Mako throws his arms in the air. “You want to give them Korra?”

“No. Who said anything about giving up Korra?” Sanya retorts. 

“We can’t give them what they want. It’s too dangerous.”

“You assume you know what they want?” Asami’s voice is soft amongst the raised voices. 

“Well, no.” Mako answers. 

“Either way, these are dangerous people Asami.” Korra steps forward. “I don’t think you know,”

“I know Korra. I know. Those people took away their mother.” She points behind her to Lin and Sanya. “Those people killed my workers. Destroyed my factory.” Her voice begins to shake. “Took my father. Do you not think I understand how dangerous they are?” She wipes stray tears from her eyes. “They’ll just keep getting more and more dangerous unless they get what they want.” She turns to Tenzin. “All the members of the council are benders. Correct?”

The air bender nods.

“The last time there was non bender on the council was Sanya’s grandfather. I think now is the time to change that. Everyday these people go without equality they’ll get more violent.”

“I’m in no position to,”

“Yes you are.” Katara speaks. All are silent. 

“Your father and I built this city with our friends. Some of whom were non-benders. My own brother, Sanya’s grandfather could not bend. Have you been outside of the council room, outside of this temple to see how these people are living?”

“But mother,”

“Answer the question Tenzin.”

Tenzin looks down at his feet and shakes his head no.

“Your father would not have wanted this.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but they did take my bending away.” Korra adds.

“They want us equalized! They want to take our bending away!” Mako protests. “They took Korra’s bending!”

“They took mine too, but you as you can see that didn’t turn out to be much of a problem.” Lin crosses her arms.

“They. You keep saying they like equalists represent all non-benders. How dare you judge entire group of people based on the actions of a few.” Asami voice rises. “If I did that I would not be standing here with you today.”

The girl’s gaze momentarily meets Katara’s. The old woman nods and gives her a weak smile. 

“Maybe if we could talk to someone to explain that being equal doesn’t mean everyone being the same.” Sanya is uncertain of her words. “Like Jet eats meat but Oogi doesn’t. Being equal means, I think, we give Jet a plate of meat and we give Oogi a plate of vegetables and not giving both of them meat or both of them just vegetables. Because then they’re equal, but not the same.” She scratches her head. Asami can see the thoughts flying around in her head. “Right?”

“That’s actually a really smart thing you just said.” Lin pats her niece’s shoulder. 

“Don’t sound so surprised.” Sanya backs into the wall with a smirk. 

“She makes a good point. You have no idea what it’s like for a non bender out there. You will never know and all I’m asking is you understand so maybe, just maybe, we can stop this.” Asami says. “We keep sweeping this issue under the rug, it’ll just get worse for everyone if we don’t deal with it now.” 

“The girl is right.” Katara takes a sip of her tea. “Li, sweetheart, was growing up hard for you?” 

“Oh dear lady, the Beifongs treated me well.”

“Hmm. Yes. And others, how did they treat you? Were you ever bullied by benders?”

“I suppose. Working at the Earth Rumble stadium. But it could not be helped I suppose.”

“I see. Thank you.” Katara rises to her feet with Pebble’s assistance. “Tenzin, listen to her and don’t stay up too late. Lin be good. We’ll figure this out.” Li escorts her out of the room. Jet follows. 

“So, we give them what they want. But how?” Sanya asks. 

“I don’t know yet. We have to stop whatever they’re planning to do on Avatar day. Maybe we can talk to some of them and some other non benders as well.” Asami answers. “But we make the first move. I want to take out as many of their weapons as I can because I am tired of just sitting around waiting for them to attack.”

“Sounds good.” Lin turns to Korra. “You’re unusually quiet. What do you think. You have the power to make this sink or swim.” 

“This is all so messed up. We should be arresting all of them.” Mako crosses his arms. 

“Excuse me, did I ask you to speak?” Lin’s signature iron glare reduces the fire bender into a frightened little boy.

He shakes his head no. His brother wriggles behind him. 

“Korra?” 

“Umm. I think it makes sense. But, I think we should take care of whatever they have planned first.”

“Lin, we can look through this tomorrow. Asami you can join us if you wish.” Tenzin holds up the journal. “But I think it would be best if we all went to bed tonight.” 

“You’re such a momma’s boy Twinkle Toes.” Lin chuckles. 

The man waves away her laughter and leaves the room. 

The woman turns to Asami. “Hey, I’m with you on this. But you should get some sleep.” Her finger sweeps across the remaining people in the room. “Same goes for all of you.”

She leaves them alone. 

Asami chews on her lip. The motor in her head races to find solutions to this seemingly never ending problem. A gentle hand rubs her back. She knows it is Sanya, but she does not look back. 

The group stands around the dining room. Each having so much to say, yet having too little courage to speak. 

“You can’t be serious can you?” Mako finally asks. “About giving them what they want?”

“They want to be treated equally, to stop being bullied. You can’t deny you have an advantage. They just want to live their lives.”

“After all they did!”

“You don’t seem to be understanding the difference between a militant terrorist group and a family of non-benders just wanting to not be bullied by a gang.” Sanya takes a step forward.

The fire bender takes a step back. “I heard you can blood bend.” 

Bolin steps in. “Hey now, everyone. No need to be hostile. We’re all friends here right?”

“Is that true?” Korra asks. 

“Why does it matter if it is?” Asami answers. 

“We’ve just had a bit of bad luck with blood benders is all. Guys, really. Chill out. You’re making Pabu nervous.” The fire ferret pokes its head out of the boy’s shirt.

“Katara can blood bend too. She had to do it when she needed to protect her family and friends. Why would you treat her any differently?” Asami’s voice wavers. 

They are silent. Pabu chirps in the boy’s shirt. 

“Hey, I think you’re pretty cool. And I can’t speak for my bro but, I consider us buddies. I don’t care if you can blood bend.” Bolin finally says to the water bender. “I really don’t think we should talk about any of this now. We’re all tired and probably hungry. This is a conversation best left to be had after a huge breakfast.” 

“He’s right.” The avatar says.

The earth bender looks around, eyes wide with surprise. “You actually listened to me? What?” He is giddy with newfound sense of importance.

“We’ll talk later okay?” Korra says to Asami.

She nods and does her best to smile. 

“Hey, uhh, sorry.” Mako says to both the girls. 

“Yeah, it’s fine.” Asami says.

“We have to trade some jokes sometime!” Bolin says to Sanya.

“Definitely.” She takes off her hat and places it on Bolin’s head and winks. 

The boy is ecstatic. 

The group walks out of the room leaving Sanya and Asami alone. Asami exhales and drops her shoulders. She turns into Sanya and buries her face into the girl’s chest. The water bender wraps her arms around her. 

“I’m just so tired.” Asami’s voice is muffled. 

“I know. Your thoughts are heavy. I would carry them for you if I could.”

The girls stand in each other’s arms in silence. The thoughts in her head soon tire of their constant buzzing. Her body relaxes as the dull thumping of Sanya’s heartbeat nearly lulls her to sleep. 

“Aunt Toph would be on our side, right?” 

“Of course.” 

“I miss her.” She squeezes Sanya. 

“She would have been so proud of you.”

“Of us.” 

“Sanya, can you sleep in my room tonight? Please? I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

The water bender holds her tighter. “As you wish Miss Sato. Just remember, you’re not alone anymore. As long as auntie and I can help it you never will be.”

She does not answer for she has no words. All this time she thought she has no family. It took her this long to realize she has gained a new one. 

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

The cool morning breeze plays with the steam rising from her tea cup. She leans on the doorway, searching the sea for a flash of white hair. Asami sighs and looks into her cup. She rubs away the last bits of sleep from her eyes with the hope that yesterday’s memories will vanish as well. Thoughts of things that must be done become overwhelming. Before her mind can think of a solution to one problem, another is born. She covers her eyes with her free hand and focuses on her breathing. Republic City’s air smells of sea and smoke. The wind is gentle against her face. The hot porcelain cup in her hands nearly burns her palm. The sound of boots crunching on gravel breaks her concentration. 

“Hey.” Lin greets her. 

“Morning, Chief. Up for a morning walk?”

“Went home for a bit. Where’s Twinkle Toes?”

“Air bending training with Korra and the kids. Did you happen to see Sanya near the docks or by the beach?”

“In the water.”

Asami nods and stares at her tea.

“Are you all right?” Lin stops before her and crosses her arms. 

“Yes, just tired I guess.”

“Don’t tell me you and Sanya got into another fight.”

Asami shakes her head. 

“I didn’t think so. I hear she came out of your room this morning.” The woman raises an eyebrow. 

The girl raises a finger to deny claims not yet spoken. “Whatever you’re thinking is probably wrong. She slept on the floor the whole night.”

“Of course she did. We raised her better than that.” A crooked grin grows on Lin’s face. “Raised her well enough to at least take you out on a boat.” 

The girl hides her face behind her hand. “You heard about that?” 

She nods. 

“Well, I didn’t get to drink out of that tall glass of water.” Asami bites back a laugh. 

Lin’s eyes widen. “I did not need to hear that about my niece.” She allows herself to laugh. “You’ve been spending too much time with her.”

The sound of the woman’s laughter brings a smile to her face. Asami’s grip on her cup loosens. “It’s nice to hear you laugh again.” 

“It’s been a while.” Lin regains her composure. 

“How are you holding up?” 

“Like a rock.” The metal bender straightens her back and looks out onto the sea. 

Asami wants to say something. She wants to question the woman’s answer, but all she can do is stare. 

“But even rocks crack, I suppose.” Lin drops her head. “Doing my best. Still having bad dreams. Still missing mom. Worrying about you. Worrying about Sanya. The girl’s here for two days and she already gets arrested. I guess it isn’t her fault.” She raises a finger to Asami. “Don’t you dare say it was yours.” 

The girl giggles. 

“But, she’s doing better. Thanks to you of course.”

“Me?”

“When was the last time you saw her clawing at herself? From what you tell me, she actually stopped to think about something? And didn’t cause an explosion? You’re a miracle worker.” 

Asami chews on her lip. She can feel blood rushing to her face. 

“If only mom could see her now.” 

“I think she’d be proud of you too.”

Lin shakes her head. “She’d say, ‘Linorra, you haven’t trained her in how many days? Stop being a lazy lily liver!’ In that way only she could say it.” She removes her coat. “So, come on. We’re going to train.” 

Asami shrugs and obeys. She knows better than to question a Beifong woman. She crouches to set her tea cup down, but a gloved hand stops her. 

“Keep it. Hold onto it. Do not let one drop hit the ground.”

“What?” Her jaw hangs open.

“You heard me.” 

The girl nods. She unbuttons her top and removes it. She is careful not to spill her tea as she slings her top across her shoulder. 

Asami follows Lin to a clearing just beyond the house. Lin tosses her coat onto to patch of grass. Asami follows suit. Before her top can hit the grass, the ground beneath her feet shakes. A pillar of earth rises under her left foot. She sways and stumbles, but does not drop her cup. 

“Good save.” Lin slides her foot across the dirt. 

Asami plants her feet on the ground. Her grip is light. 

“Keep it up.” The woman stomps her foot. 

Small columns of earth jump at her feet. She slides between each column. 

“Can I ask you something?” Asami asks as she keeps her eyes on the ground. 

Lin nods as she hurls a block of earth past the girl’s head.

“When you do that thing where you see using the vibrations in the ground.” She slips. She puts her free hand on the ground and pushes herself up as she jumps away from a stone pillar. Her tea cup still holds its contents. “Can you feel it through your shoes or do you have to be barefoot? And what exactly does it sound like? Or feel like?”

“It’s easier barefoot.” She raises a fist. Four columns as tall as Asami rise from the ground. “But after a few years, I learned how to do it with shoes on as long as the soles aren’t too thick.” The columns rush toward the girl. “It doesn’t really sound like much. I don’t know how to explain it. Everything and everyone has a different sound and feel.” 

Asami dodges the columns. She kicks the top off the nearest one, careful not to spill her tea. “Those giant things the equalists use, what do they sound like?” A ledge of earth appears before her right foot. She stumbles. Liquid jumps from her cup. She does her best to catch the airborne liquid in her cup. She grabs her tank top and pulls it forward. The tea soaks into the fabric. “You said don’t let it hit the ground, you never said anything about not letting it hit me.” A smirk on her face mimics Lin’s crooked grin. 

“Clever.” She flicks a finger. A slab of earth under Asami rises and flings itself into the air. 

The girl leaps backward. Not a drop of tea is spilled.

“As for those things, they sound a bit like a low rumble.Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.” She dodges pillars of stones and dances around hovering chunks of earth nipping at her ankles and wrists. “Before they came into the factory I heard a low rumble.” She staggers. “But, no one else could hear it.”

Lin nods then hurls balls of stone at the girl. 

“Why is metal bending so hard to learn?” Asami asks. 

“Metals are so processed. So different from earth. But, if you’ve been around them long enough you realize they’re not at tough as they seem.” She watches Asami dance around her earthen henchmen. “I’ve been around metals and earth all my life. They seem exactly the same to me. But you, you’ve been around more metal than earth, I’m assuming. I wouldn’t be surprised if you found metal bending to be easier.” 

Asami laughs. “I’m not a bender.” 

“Maybe not.” 

The girl slides away from a small mountain of stone rushing at her. More drops of green liquid stain her white tank top. She remembers Toph’s hopes of having her become an earth bender. _She is something special_ , the woman once said. The girl’s heart drops. There might not be a heavier sorrow than disappointing someone you love. She grits her teeth and tightens her grip. This feeling must be buried. 

“I looked through those files.” 

Asami does not answer. 

“I took the one about your mother. I want to solve the case, find those people. Is that okay with you?” 

“What?” She drops the cup. Tea splashes onto her boot and seeps into the ground. 

“If that’s not okay, I’ll return the file. I should have asked first, but you’ve got enough to worry about.”

The girl is motionless. She searches the ground for words, but like the tea she spilled, her responses have seeped into the earth. Her mother’s voice echoes in her head. She remembers her laugh, her smile, her face. These memories are becoming harder to recall with each day. The thought of finding the men who took her mother puts her in a stasis. 

“Hey.” Lin puts her hand on Asami’s shoulder. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah.” She shakes away the brewing storm of thoughts in her head. 

“I’ve got the file at home. I’ll give it back. I just thought you could use some closure.”

“No, no. It’s fine. I think so too. I never thought there was a chance of actually finding them.”

“I won’t stop until it’s finished, so you better be sure of this.”

Her jaw tightens. The memory of her mother fades. “I’m sure.” She looks directly into Lin’s iron gaze. “Are you? You don’t have to do this for me.”

“Yes I do. If I find them, we’ll be even” 

She chews on her lip and holds the words in her mouth. She nods. “Thank you. It means a lot.” 

The woman squeezes her shoulder. “You dropped the tea.” She points to the ground as she walks away. 

Asami grins. “I guess I need more training.” 

The earth rises and offers her the now empty cup. She takes it and brushes off dirt from its rim. 

“Horse stance kid, palms up. Don’t drop the cup.” 

The girl immediately obeys. There is no liquid of which she must be weary, simply a cup sitting on her palm. She exhales in preparation for a barrage of stone. Lin stands with her hands on her hips, metal serpents dance at her wrists. The ground begins to shake. The earth’s low roar fills her ears. The late morning sun washes away the ribbons of cool sea air wrapping around her bare arms and face. Lin extends her arms, serpents rush toward her. 

“Chief Beifong!” A child screams. 

The serpents drop at Asami’s feet. Meelo falls from the sky and into Lin’s arms. The woman’s eyes widen with surprise. His sisters come running after him. 

“My dad’s looking for you. He said to tell you he’ll be in the dining room.” Jinnora says. 

“What are you guys gonna talk about? Is it a secret? Can I know?” Ikki inhales. “Do you still love my daddy?”

Lin’s mouth hangs open as she sets Meelo down on the ground. 

“It’s grown up stuff.” Jinnora hushes her sister

“We don’t know. It might be. Maybe afterward I can tell you. And I’m sure she does as a friend.” Asami steps forward. 

“Okay!” Ikki grins. “Are you mad at Korra for stealing your boyfriend? Do you hate her? Do you hate him? Is cousin Sanya your girlfriend? Have you two kissed?”

“Ikki!” Lin and Jinnora shout simultaneously. 

Asami giggles. “No. No. No. I don’t know. Yes.” She indulges the child. “Now if there aren’t anymore questions, we should get to the dining room.” 

The girls create balls of spinning air and zip past them. 

“Thanks for getting me out of that.”

“Not so good with kids?” 

Lin throws up her hands and shrugs. 

A tug at Asami’s pant leg causes her to look down. A gap toothed smile greets her. 

“I got your thing.” Meelo holds up her top. 

“Thank you.” She rewards him with asmile. 

“And I have to get my own?” Lin huffs toward her coat.

“What was Sanya like as child? When she was his age?” She pulls on her top and pats Meelo’s head. 

The boy blushes, his grin widens. 

“Quiet, like her mother when she was younger. Loved listening to her grandfather’s stories. Always wanted to help. No matter what her grandparents were doing, she wanted to help. Got her into trouble sometimes.”  

“That sounds like her.” She buttons up her top and walks toward Lin. 

“You know sometimes it feels like she hasn’t grown up at all. But, then I see her fight. I see her by herself, when she thinks no one is around. I see her look at you and I know she’s growing up just fine.”

Asami hides her burning red face. She feels another tug at her pant leg. 

“Can I hold your hand?” The child tinkers with a pin on his robe and draws lines in the sand with his foot. 

The grin on the girl’s face widens as she is reminded of a certain water bender. She holds out her hand. His hand is too small to wrap around hers. He grasps three of her fingers instead. His chest puffs out as he walks. 

“Thank you for being there for her.” Lin says. 

“You don’t have to thank me for that.”

“I do. I haven’t been there enough for her. Especially after my mother…” Her words tail off. She looks down. Her jaw tightens and she takes a deep breath. “She needed someone and I wasn’t there. But you were. And having you worry about her takes a giant load off my shoulders.” 

She can only muster a smile. Her mind cannot find the right words to express her gratitude. She punches the woman’s arm. A grin appears on the metal bender’s face. 

“Is he okay? Hasn’t said anything in a while.” Lin points to Meelo. 

The boy flaunts his signature gap toothed grin. He stands a little straighter takes wider steps. 

“I think he’s fine.” Asami laughs. 

As they reach the front of the house, Asami’s eyes finally find the sight they have been craving all morning. Sanya walks up the dirt path holding her dark blue shirt in a bundle. Jet gallops by her side, a wet tongue flops out of his mouth. The water bender looks up and meets her gaze. Her eyes brighten. A smile creeps across her face. She tries to bite it back, but the feeling is too powerful. She drops her gaze and pets Jet.  

“Morning auntie. I didn’t do anything and nothing is broken.” 

“Good.” Lin sighs. “Have you had your second breakfast yet?”

She shakes her head no. 

“You should take a nap today all right? You need to rest.”

Sanya salutes and nods. She takes a step back and does her best to fake a scowl. “Are you trying to steal my girl?” She says to Meelo. 

The boy sticks out his tongue at her. “Excuse me, but I was here first!”

“Oh, so I’m your girl now?” Asami teases. “Don’t I get a say in all this?” 

The water bender freezes. Her lips mouth silent apologies. Her face burns red as her eyes dart from a grinning Asami to Lin.

“My sister said she’s your girlfriend. Is that true!”

“No! She’s my friend… Girl. My friend-girl.” Sanya’s face burns with embarrassment. “No, that’s not right. I’m sorry.” She covers her face with her hand. “Auntie.” 

“Nope.” Lin puts a hand up.  

The mischievous smirk on Asami’s face stretches from ear to ear.  

The water bender’s eyes widen. Meelo begins to giggle. 

“Hey, Tenzin’s waiting in the dining room.” Korra interrupts from the doorway. 

Sanya exhales and drops her shoulders. Lin walks between the girls and into the house. She pauses at the doorway and waits for Asami. 

“Come on Meelo, we can have a duel after we have a snack. Then she can decide which one of us she likes more.” Sanya motions for him to follow. 

The boy obeys and whips himself into the air. He lands on Jet’s back. The wolf does not seem to mind. 

Asami takes a step forward and pats Sanya’s face, forcing the girl to look at her. “You got away this time.” She feigns anger. 

The water bender shrugs as she tries to hide her smile. 

Meelo tugs on Asami’s pant leg. He points at his pursed lips. 

The girls laugh. She bends down and kisses his forehead. He squeals as she walks away. 

She follows Lin and Korra into Tenzin’s dining room. He sits at the table stroking his beard. The files Asami took from the police station are sprawled out on the table. A lone leather journal sits to his right. 

Lin takes her seat at the head of the table. Asami and Korra sit side by side opposite of Tenzin, to Lin’s right. 

“Well?” Lin asks the air bender. 

He strokes his beard. “Isn’t it a bit odd that the police didn’t find this during their search?” He points to the journal.

“Well, I’m not chief anymore. They aren’t as good as they used to be. If I had a yuan for every time I’ve had to say that.” 

The two lock eyes. The metal bender challenges Tenzin with a raised brow. The man squints. 

“Maybe they wanted us to find it?” Korra breaks the silence. 

“How could they have possibly known Sanya and I would go back there?” 

“Do you think you could have mentioned to that man the police caught, the one working inside the station?” Tenzin asks. 

Asami shakes her head no. “It didn’t cross my mind until that night. In fact it was Sanya’s idea to go back.”

“Of course it was.” Lin exhales and rubs her forehead. “Maybe they wanted the police to find it?”

“Maybe. But either way they know we have it now. Whether they meant for it or not.” Asami chews on her lip. “May I see the journal please?” 

Tenzin hands her the journal. 

“We’re not getting reports on any equalist activity after yesterday’s incident. All recent reports are related to the factory, the man working undercover, things like that. We haven’t been able to find their base of operations.” Lin says. “And we all know they’re good at hiding.”

Asami flips through the journal. Detailed plans of both attacks in Ba Sing Se are scribbled across white pages. 

_He was a water bender. He strung as along. Like the rest of those spirit forsaken benders. I believed him. I trusted him. You can’t trust benders. None of them. I know better now…_

“Should we cancel avatar day?” Tenzin asks.

“No!” Korra jumps out of her seat. “I mean, umm, no. I think that would be a bad idea.” She sits. 

_I didn’t think I’d see my daughter in this city. With the benders no less. They took her from me. Just like the took my wife. We will not stay quiet. We will proceed with the plans…_

She remembers her father’s face the the night she last saw him. She saw nothing but hatred in his eyes. Asami blocks out the sound of her companions’ voices. She focuses on the journal. 

_Back to this horrid city. Base is up now. Been years since I’ve been to the old factory. Going ahead as planned. Can’t wait to see the avatar’s face when we ruin her day. Maybe then I’ll get my daughter to join us. She’s smart enough, we can use her. She knows the avatar’s secrets._

A yellow stain wrinkles the bottom corner of the page. The ink has run, making the words within this small sun difficult to read. 

“Old factory.” Asami whispers. The gears in her mind churn. 

“What?” Lin turns to the girl. 

All are quiet as they wait for her response. 

“They’ve set up a base of some sort in an old factory.” Asami says mostly to herself. “Old factory? I know there was one before the current one. I don’t know where it is.” Her voice is soft. 

“Can I see that?” Lin points to the journal. 

The girl hands it over. “It must be well hidden if they can go this whole time without being caught. He seemed so relaxed. Like whatever they’re planning to do is all written out.” 

Lin flips through the pages. “But of course it isn’t written out here.” She turns back to the stained page and examines the stain. 

“Well, what about all these files? Don’t they tell us something?” Korra waves a hand over the papers on the table. 

“Other than the rise of equalist activity. It seems there are more of them than we thought.” Tenzin exhales and continues to stroke his beard. 

“The group that attacked the factory, most of them weren’t well trained. They probably have a lot of new recruits, desperate people I’m assuming.” Asami adds. 

“Korra, go get Sanya.” Lin says as she stares at the page. 

The avatar opens her mouth to speak. No words come out as she obeys. 

“We’ve seen equalists near some abandoned buildings. The police found nothing after checking them out. I’d have to get a blueprint of the city if we’re gong to find this base.” Lin rubs her chin. 

“What exactly do you plan on doing if you find this base?” The air bender leans into the table. 

“Would you rather I sit back and send them a basket of Avatar day cookies?” 

“We don’t have to plan anything out right now. We don’t know enough.” Asami’s words cut through the string tying their eyes together. “And they know too much.” 

“Auntie?” Sanya follows Korra into the dining room. 

Lin waves her over. “I need you to take a look at something.”

Korra takes her seat beside Asami while the water bender crouches beside her aunt. 

“What happened to your shirt?” The woman sticks a finger into one of many lashes across the front of Sanya’s top. 

“I fell.” She answers without hesitation. “What did you need me to take a look at?”

Lin hands her the journal and points to the stain. Sanya stares at it. 

“I can take some people and raid that base.”Lin’s eyes shoot daggers at the man sitting before her.

“What base?” Korra asks. 

Sanya brings the journal up to her nose and inhales. 

Asami tilts her head in confusion. “We think the equalists are hiding out in some abandoned building. We don’t know which one.”

“So try them all!” 

“We don’t have the time or resources for that. Maybe if I were still chief, but time is not on our side.” 

“Okay then, shake down some non-benders. They might know something.”

“Korra, you can’t assume every non-bender is an equalist. What if I assumed every bender I met wanted to hurt me like they hurt my mother? I know you still have some suspicions about me, but you can please not put those suspicions on innocent people.” Asami’s voice nearly cracks. Rage fills her chest and makes her shake. 

“She’s right. Listen to her sometime.” Lin squeezes Asami’s knee.

Korra sinks into her seat. “Sorry.” 

The rage in Asami’s chest melts. She turns her attention to Sanya. The water bender sticks out her tongue and presses it against the paper. Asami’s face contorts in confusion as she watches. 

“In any case, it’s not safe for anyone. We have to cancel Avatar day. Or maybe have Korra do something over the radio where she and my family are safe.” 

“Southern water tribe noodle broth with sea prunes.” Sanya hands the journal back to her aunt. “The only place you can get that here is Narook’s Noodlery.” 

Everyone at the table gawks at the girl. 

“Well, I have to know where I get some good food wherever I go. I just happened to stop by there on the night that we,” She looks to Asami. “I needed to eat my feelings so I went there.” She looks to her aunt. “I must’ve had eight bowls of that stuff. Believe me, I know where that stain came from.”

“Only eight bowls?” The metal bender teases her niece. 

“That’s right on the edge of the city.” Korra adds. “There are some old buildings, warehouses, and even factories out there. We have to go check it out now!”

Sanya clears her throat. “May I add my suggestion?” She looks to her aunt then to Asami. “I know this will sound weird coming from me, but it wouldn’t be wise to just storm in there right now. You would be heavily out numbered. Even if you are the avatar. They might even be expecting you. You shouldn’t cancel Avatar Day. But it’s not safe to keep it going right? If Mr. Sato is half as smart as his daughter, he would have planned for both. So, why not use that to our advantage? Move the festivities to the front of the police station. They won’t expect that. It’ll throw them off a bit. Enough for us to make a move.” 

“If we go along with what I think he’s planning, he’ll think he’s winning. He’ll relax. Put his guard down, just a bit. That might be enough for us. We strike when he’s at his weakest and that’s when he thinks he’s winning.” Asami adds. 

“Exactly.” Sanya adds.

“What have you been feeding her? Coming up with all these smart things to say all of a sudden.” Lin pokes fun at her neice.

“Don’t sound too surprised.” The water bender blushes. 

“We won’t be able to avoid some kind of fight though.” Korra says. 

“Iroh is too far out, he’s near the north pole. He wouldn’t make it back here in time. Bumi is close by. He should be able to provide extra security.” 

Tenzin groans. “Is it really a good idea to have Bumi and Sanya together under one roof?” 

“Hey now, uncle that hurts.” The water bender puts a hand to her chest. 

“Bumi wouldn’t be staying here, don’t worry. Chances are he won’t show up until the day of the event. You know how he is.” Lin adds. 

“In any case, that was a good idea you put out Sanya.” Asami gives the girl a kiss on the cheek.

The water bender’s face turns bright red, her mouth struggles to fight back a grin. 

“I’ll have to look over these some more. It’s probably best that we all do.” She takes the journal. “Lin, is there any way you could get me the blueprints of the city?”

“That’s no problem.” 

“Great.” 

“Tenzin, if you wouldn’t mind asking your brother for assistance.”

“I’ll call him now.” He sighs and drops his head as he gets up to leave. 

“Korra, go out and have fun.”

“What?” The avatar’s smirk hides her confusion. 

“I need you out there having fun, acting like nothing is wrong, like everything is okay. More importantly, I need you to see non-benders who aren’t equalists, just see how they live. On top of that, I need you to keep an ear to the ground.”

“I can do that.” The avatar nods. “In fact I’ll go do that now.” She storms out the room with a spring in her step. 

“What do I do?” Sanya drops her crouch and sits on her bottom. 

“You wash up and change your clothes. You’re taking me on a lunch date.”

“I am?” Her face burns a deeper shade of red and her eyes light up. 

“We’re going for some noodles.”

“Oh.” Her shoulders drop. “And here I thought it was a real date.” 

Asami’s heart drops. “I’m sorry sweetheart. I’ll make it up to you.” 

Sanya nods. 

She watches the girl fiddle with the tears in her shirt. She wants to reach out and hug her, kiss her. She can only stare. 

Lin clears her throat. “Seeing as how I’m the closest thing this one’s got to a mother,” She throws a thumb toward her niece. “I think I’ll drop you off at the location of your play date.” 

The girls shoot a look at each other before glaring at the metal bender. “What are you up to?” They say simultaneously. 

“I think I’ll persuade the owner to give us a bit of information.” 

“That sounds illegal.” Asami mimics Lin’s crooked smirk. 

“I’ve found that I like doing some things outside the law.” 

“Auntie ‘Zula would be proud to hear you say that.” 

“She’ll be here in a few days.” Lin points to Sanya. “You can tell her about it yourself.”

 

 

She stands on the sandy shore and watches a ferry come to dock. It was not too long ago that she anxiously awaited the very same welcome she is about to give. Asami checks the buttons on her top. She fidgets with her hair clip and smoothes out her skirt. 

“You’re not nervous at all.” Sanya walks up behind her with Jet in tow.

She pats Jet’s head. “I’m meeting living legends today, can you blame me?” She looks up to find Sanya wearing a dark red sweater instead of her usual sleeveless navy blue shirt. The white of her hair is pulled back into a tight bun sitting at the crown of her head. 

“Aunt Ty made this sweater for me and Auntie ‘Zula likes my hair this way.” She stares at her feet as her fingers comb through the hair falling over her shoulders. 

“You look good.” 

The water bender’s eyes light up. “You don’t look so bad yourself.” 

Asami slings her arm around Sanya’s. The wolf bounces ahead of them and toward the children. They greet him with gleeful shrieking. They walk toward the group by the dock. Korra, Mako, and Bolin laugh together. She smiles at the sight of the Fire Ferrets enjoying themselves again. Lin stands with her arms crossed like an ever watchful statue. The cool evening breeze runs through her hair, the only aspect of her that moves. Pebble stands beside her. His shirt strains against the muscles on his back. He holds a silver platter in his hands, delicate flowers are painted on the porcelain tea pot and cups that it carries. Pema struggles to gain control of her children as she holds an infant in her arms. Katara looks on with a smile. But Asami can see tears forming in the old woman’s eyes. She looks back to the statue of Avatar Aang. Her smile drops into a frown. She can only imagine the pain the woman must endure having to see the love of her life everyday, yet never being able to touch him. Her grip on Sanya’s arm tightens. 

“Something wrong?” The water bender asks.

Asami shakes her head no and smiles.

The boat docks. Tenzin steps onto the dock followed by two older women. They walk arm in arm toward the group waiting by on shore. 

“Welcome back Azula.” Katara walks forward with open arms. 

A woman in deep crimson robes adorned with gold thread bows before accepting Katara’s embrace. Her golden eyes are fierce, but soften once the master water bender’s arms wrap around her neck. 

“Katara!” A high pitched voice exclaims. 

A woman in rose colored robes flings herself at the two women still locked in a hug. Asami is taken aback by the way the woman moves, as though her old age does not bother her. Her large brown eyes light up with child-like excitement. 

They release their embrace and begin to walk toward the rest of the group standing ashore. Lin finally moves from her post. She leans over and greets her aunts with kisses on the cheek and quick hugs. Pebble offers the women tea, but they decline. 

“Lin, where’s the girl?” Azula’s voice is warm, like the golden flame sitting atop the bun in her hair. 

The metal bender points to Korra. 

The avatar smiles and waves. 

“No, no not the avatar. The other one.”

Korra drops her hand and huffs in disappointment. The boys beside her begin to giggle. 

Lin points to Asami and bends over her aunt. She whispers something into Azula’s ear. The former fire princess smiles at her. She freezes. A woman she has only read about in books walks toward her. Her heart begins to pound against her chest. Is she smiling? Is her hair okay? How should she address her? 

Sanya squeezes her arm. “You’ll be fine. Relax. She won’t banish you.” She whispers in her ear.

Asami fakes a laugh. 

“Auntie.” Sanya bows, a mischievous smirk on her face. 

She laughs as she wraps her arms around the girl’s waist. “You’re so tall now, what have you been eating?” 

“My enemies.” 

Asami’s eyes widen at the girls’ response. 

“That’s a good girl.” She pats her niece’s stomach as she laughs.  

“Auntie!” Sanya screams as she takes Ty Lee in her arms and lifts her off the ground. The woman is gleeful as she returns the embrace. 

“So, you’re the one I’ve heard so much about?” Azula stops before Asami. “Why are children these days so tall.” Golden eyes look up at her.

“It’s an honor to meet you ma’am.” She bows. 

“Speaking of honor, Where’s Uncle ZuZu? Why couldn’t he make it?” 

“He’s in the north pole with Kya and Iroh, playing peacemaker and such.” Ty Lee answers as Sanya sets her back on the ground. 

“Come, walk with me.” She takes the Asami’s arm. “Sanya, our bags.” 

The water bender groans. “Why do I always have to get the bags. Korra and her crew never have to get the bags.” She whines as she walks back toward the boat. 

“I’ll help you this time.” Lin punches the girl’s arm. 

“I hear you’ve had some troubles with your father?” 

“Still having them ma’am.” 

“I understand. My father was… A bit unstable to say the least.”

She nods as memories of things she has read about Fire Lord Ozai flood into her mind. 

“I’m sure everyone’s been giving you advice on how to handle this. I’m sure us old folk have lectured your ear off. Just know, you don’t have to listen to us.”

“Ma’am?” She looks down at the woman.

“I learned the hard way. Always listening to what my father wanted, always trying to be that. No, didn’t work out so well. You don’t have to listen to us if you don’t want to. Do what you want, what you feel is best for you. We can guess, but we can’t ever really know.”

Asami watches her feet as they continue to walk to Tenzin’s home. Her mouth curls into a grin. “But ma’am, aren’t you giving me advice right now?” 

The older woman grins. Her golden eyes light up with mischief. “Even if you choose to ignore what I’ve said, you would have followed my advice.” She winks. 

Asami laughs. She had always heard about the fire princess’ wit, but never thought she would experience it herself. 

“You own a company don’t you?” 

“I do.”

“More adults telling you what you should and shouldn’t do. And you haven’t banished anyone or burnt them to a crisp yet? You really are a tough girl. You’ll be all right.” She pats the girl’s arm. 

“Thank you ma’am.”A weight vanishes from Asami’s shoulders. She exhales. 

“So, what’s this I hear about you and my Sanya?” 

Her cheeks burn bright red. “That depends, what did you hear?” 

“I think I’ll be hearing you call out her name later tonight.”

Asami stumbles. Her face burns, hot with embarrassment. Her train of thought derails. A speechless mouth hangs open as she shakes her head.

“Or will it be the other way around?” 

The girl still hangs in a state of bewilderment.

“If you break her heart I will be forced to banish you.” The old woman’s words are like daggers. 

Asami swallows her fear.

“Azula! Don’t tease her so much. That’s not nice.” Ty Lee tugs the woman off the girl’s arm. 

“Oh, I was just having a bit of fun.” She laughs. “Don’t worry dear, she’s tough. She can handle it.” She kisses her wife’s hand. 

“You’ve made her all red. Look!” She points to the fidgety girl. 

“I’m sorry, Asami. That is your name right?”

“You couldn’t even remember her name!”

“I can’t be bothered with new names at this age.” She waves away Ty Lee’s concerns. “Just be happy I can still remember our anniversary.” She looks behind her then turns to look at Tenzin’s home. “Where’s that boy with the tea? Are we having dinner now?” She walks ahead of them. 

TyLee pats Asami’s arm. “Don’t mind her. She’s really nice now. She just likes to play with people. Always has.” 

“It’s all right, ma’am. Really.” Her voice shakes. “Is she like that with everyone? If I may ask.”

“Oh no, just the children really. Especially someone like you. We’ve heard a lot about you from Toph.”

“Oh?” Her heart is weighed down by the memory of the fallen earth bender. 

“You know, she really loved you.” 

“I really loved her.” She chews on her lip. Toph’s laugh echoes in her head. “I still do.”

“I’m sure she still loves you too. Even more so now. We hear you earth bended.” The woman stops and looks up, as though her the clouds carry her thoughts. She taps her nose. “Bended? That doesn’t sound right. What’s the word?” She mutters to herself. 

“Bent?”

“Bent! Yes!” She throws her arms around the girl’s waist, pinning her arms at her side. A mighty squeeze takes the breath from her lungs. 

“Ty Lee, let go of her. She might be suffocating.” 

“Sorry.” She giggles. 

“It’s all right.”

“What are you guys talking about over there?” Sanya calls out. 

Asami turns around to see the girl with a large bag over her shoulder and another small bag in her hand. The girl’s chest rises and falls much more heavily than usual. Her eyes drift down to hips. The left half of her sweater rides up. Dark ink hugs her hip bones and dips below the waistband of her pants. 

“I wonder what you’re thinking about.” A sing song voice causes her muscles to tense as she snaps her head forward. 

Her face burns red again. “Nothing.” She says to Ty Lee walking beside her. 

“We were discussing the date of your wedding!” Azula calls out. 

The girl’s eyes widen. Sanya drops the bag in her hand and stumbles forward. She slips on the bag’s handle and falls backward. The larger bag on her shoulder hits the ground before she does. 

Asami runs to her aid. She exhales in relief. She has an excuse to be away from the teasing. 

Azula cackles in the distance. Her wife scolds her. 

“You should know not to believe auntie.” Lin says as she comes up behind the girls. 

Asami helps Sanya to her feet and dusts off her clothes. 

The metal bender takes the larger bag and slings it over her shoulder. She carries three smaller bags in one hand. She has no trouble walking the rest of the way with extra cargo. “All that teasing means she likes you.” 

“If you haven’t already noticed, this family has some interesting ways of showing affection.”

“Right, like punching, getting arrested, hurling rocks at me, stopping the ocean currents. Things like that.” Asami laughs. She picks up the bags and brushes away the dirt clinging to the fabric. 

Sanya nods. “Yeah, things like that.” 

She takes the water bender’s wrist and drapes her arm around her shoulders. Sanya does not protest. The girl’s faces flushes into a deeper shade of red. 

“Well Sanya, this certainly is an interesting family, but I wouldn’t mind some regular ways of showing affection every now and then.” 

 

 

Pema herds her children out of the dining room with her one free hand. She carries a crying infant in the other. Her steps are slow and heavy. Strands of her hair have come undone and the dark circles under her eyes seem to grow each day. Asami desperately wants to help the woman, but she must stay. She takes comfort in knowing the air acolytes are there to assist her. It is silent now that the children are gone. The occasional clinking of plates and the chirping of a fire ferret fill the room. Tenzin and Sanya clear the table while Pebble serves tea and miniature rice cakes. She pets the wolf lying beside her as he keeps his human’s seat warm. Lin sits at one end of the table. Eyes of jade are steady and unmoving, locked onto the steam rising from her tea. Pebble sets a small plate carrying a lavender rice cake before her. She mouths a thank you and pushes the plate over to Sanya’s side of the table. 

Korra sits between Katara and Mako on the opposite side of the table. Her eyes dart from one person to another. “So, about tomorrow?” She draws out her words. 

Lin looks to Asami. The girl nods. 

“We’ve got a plan.” Lin assures all the curious eyes that have landed on her. 

Sanya returns to her seat with sheets of thick paper rolled up under her arm. Jet whines as he scurries off the seat. She grins at the sight of two cakes before her. 

“We’ve more or less confirmed that the equalists are operating out of factory located on the outskirts of the city.” Lin says. 

“And how exactly did you confirm this?” Tenzin strokes his beard. 

“Thanks to my niece’s odd ability to detect food,” She waves a hand to her right.

All eyes fall on Sanya just as she is about to take a bite out of a rice cake. She sets the cake down and slouches. 

“I managed to convince the owner to give me a few details about the factory.” She turns to Katara. “I didn’t hurt him, auntie. I promise.” 

“Lin, if I may?” Asami taps Sanya’s arm just as the girl attempts to eat her dessert again. “Sanya, please?”

The metal bender nods. 

Asami takes a deep breath and expels her nerves. “Lin showed me a blueprint of the city and I drew this mostly from memory, so I apologize if some things are missing.” 

Sanya gets wipes her hands on a napkin and gets to her feet with a mouth full of rice cake. She unrolls the large sheet of white paper and holds it out. Perfect portraits of Republic City’s landmarks stand out amongst a labyrinth of thick and thin black lines representing the streets. All eyes are glued to the mock blueprint of Republic City. No one can believe it was done by hand. 

“You drew that?” Bolin asks. 

“Yeah. It’s not my best.” She stares at every uneven line, every erased mistake, everything that could have been better. “I’ve made certain areas larger, so it’s easier for you to see.” She gets to her feet. “This area here behind Narook’s Noodlery,” She points to a section of enlarged buildings. “Houses a bunch of abandoned factories and warehouses. I knew Future Industries had a smaller factory before we built the one we have now, and I have very good reason to believe it’s here somewhere.”

“You guys didn’t go and check?” Mako asks. 

“Well we would have, but if one of those guys happens to see Asami’s beautiful face or my ridiculous hair they’d run, or worse.” Sanya answers. “So instead of risking it, Wang and Sapphire Fire made another appearance.” 

Katara giggles to herself. 

“Anyway, we have enough to go on from the journal and files we have.” She plants one finger behind the noodlery. “It’s a bit far from the police station. “She drags her finger to a statue of Toph. “It would take them some time to get there, as it is a bit further along than city hall. The initial plan depends on us assuming they already have some of their people close by. It wouldn’t be a hassle for them to move. But, it shouldn’t be anything we can’t handle. We have police on site. We have Lin and the avatar, they wouldn’t dare make a move. If the equalists can at least be delayed in making their trek to the Avatar Day festivities, it will give the military time to move in.”

“Auntie,” Lin leans onto the table, facing Azula. “We usually have a few Fire Nation supremacists being idiots on this day. And I’m sure you’ve heard that the equalists have tried to frame you once already by trying to replicate your fire.”

She scoffs. “Peasants.” 

“We want to get you out of there as soon as possible if anything big breaks out.” Lin adds. 

Bolin raises his hand. “I have a question. How exactly we are going to delay them?”

“I’ll go into the factory and mess things up a bit.” Asami answers. 

“I?” Sanya raises an eyebrow.

“It’s dangerous.”

“All the more reason I should go with you.” Sanya speaks as though Asami is the only person in the room.

“You’ve gotten hurt already because of me. I can’t have you following me into-”

“I wouldn’t be following. I’d be walking by your side.” 

“She’s right you shouldn’t go alone. There’ll be tons of’em.” Korra adds. 

The girls snap their attention back into the room. 

“They have a point. I know you can handle yourself, but it’s a suicide mission to go alone. And we need you. Take Sanya with you. She’s an expert at messing things up.” 

A smirk begins to grow on her face. “Thank you.” It quickly vanishes. “Hey, wait. That’s not nice auntie.” 

Everyone allows a small laugh to escape in their sighs. 

Asami stares at Sanya with a clenched jaw. She wants to argue with her. She wants to tell her to stay with the group. She wants to beg the girl to stay away. 

“Asami?”

She fidgets and stares at her hands. “I’m sorry.” She takes a deep breath. “We have to assume they’ll do something before then. In that case, we need to get everyone to safety.” She looks toward Tenzin. “Sir, I know I can count on you and Oogi to get your family to safety.” 

The air bender nods. 

“Korra, Mako, Bolin would you mind staying behind and helping us with whatever they’ve got planned?”

“Of course not! Team Avatar is back in action!” Bolin cannot contain his enthusiasm. 

Asami chews on her lip. “Actually Bo, I think I’ll be on team flying boar this time.”

“You’re switching teams on me Asami?”

She replies with a nod and an apologetic smile. 

“Lin, Sanya, Pebble, and I will deal with any fights. Team Avatar, you work on getting people somewhere safe.”

“We can do that.” The avatar gives her a thumbs up. “Then we can smash some heads. Shouldn’t be too hard right?”

“Learn to respect your enemies girl.” Azula says as she takes a sip of tea. Her eyes drift to a smiling water bender sitting across from her. 

Ty Lee elbows her. “Be nice.”

Azula scowls and takes another sip of her tea. “I was being nice.”

“What about the factory?” Tenzin asks. 

Sanya rolls up the mock blueprint of the city and picks up another roll of paper. “I’ve never actually seen the factory, but I can assume it looks similar to the one we have now except smaller.”  

“We can expect an entire army of them and those giant suckers they have with them.” Lin adds

“Oh, I do love a good fight.” Azula grins. She turns to her scowling wife. “Not that I will be fighting.”

“We’re hoping you won’t even have to see them ma’am.” Asami turns her attentions to her sketch of the factory. She drew the building from four different angles, two interior views and two exterior views. “From the size of the ground floor, they might be able to house at least ten of those machines comfortably. But, I don’t think they’ve got that many. At least I hope they don’t. We also have to assume there is some sort of secret basement. I know my way around factories so I think we can mess things up pretty well.” She takes her seat. “After we’ve done that, it wouldn’t be any trouble for us to steal a car and make our way to the station before anything big breaks out.” 

Sanya rolls up the large sheet of paper in her hands and takes her seat. Jet scrambles to his human’s lap.

“Pebble, would you mind watching Jet tomorrow?”

“It would be my pleasure. We’re due for some bonding time.” The man smiles as he pours Katara another cup of tea. 

“So, we’re just supposed to hold them off until the military shows up?” Mako asks. 

Asami nods. 

“Why can’t we just take them on tonight? All of us can take them.” Korra pounds her fists together. 

“I cannot begin to even explain to you why that would not be a good idea.” Lin sighs. 

“I just have to ask one thing of you, of all of you.” Asami fidgets. “Leave my fath-“ She takes a deep breath. “Leave Mr. Sato to me.” 

“What? No!” Korra protests.

“That’s insane!’ Mako adds. 

“Are you sure?” Bolin’s eyes dart from one face to another. 

Lin holds up a hand to silence the protesting Fire Ferrets. “Okay.” 

“But Lin you can’t possibly,” Tenzin begins to speak. 

The metal bender glares. 

“I don’t like this Lin, we can’t leave her to him.”

Unrelenting emerald eyes do not flatter.

“This is not a good-”

Katara puts a hand up to silence her son. “Tenzin, no matter how loud the wind howls, the mountain will not move.”

Asami hears Sanya gasp. 

Tenzin is silent. A blush creeps into his face and covers his forehead.

Lin’s iron gaze now lies heavy on Asami. The girl does not speak. She does not look away. From the corner of her eye she sees Sanya staring at her cup. Her hand runs up and down the sleeve of her sweater. 

Lin nods. “Okay.” 

“I’m on your side dear, no worries. I think it should be that way.” Azula reassures her. 

“I agree with Azula.” Katara adds. 

The rooms settles down. She still watches Sanya fiddle with her sleeves. She wants to reach out and touch her, but instead clenches her fists at her lap. Her eyes drift toward the rolls of paper beside the wolf. 

“I’m sorry if my plan seems a little scatterbrained. Everything is so uncertain. There so many unknown variables.” Asami slouches in her seat and stares at her hands. 

The sound of ceramic scraping against wood causes her to look up. A red rice cake sits on a small plate. She turns to see a weak smile on Sanya’s face. 

“You did your best with what you had. That’s all we can ask for.” Lin pats her shoulder. 

The girl can’t help but smile. “Lin, what do we do now?” 

“Get some rest.” She replies. “There isn’t much else we can do” 

No one questions her. Asami lets out a long sigh before she takes a sip of lukewarm tea. She watches as people slowly get to their feet and walk out of the room. Half-hearted goodnights are said. Her mind plays a recording of replies to these greetings. Asami stands and offers a hand to Azula. Sanya helps Ty Lee to her feet while Pebble does the same for Katara. 

Lin coughs. “Umm. Team flying boar. Could you stay behind?” 

“Are we really using that name now? I have no objections.” Sanya grins. 

Lin waves away her words. Asami can tell the woman is embarrassed.

“We’ll be fine. We’re not that old.” Azula pats Asami’s hand.

The old women walk out of the room together. Pebble, Asami, and Sanya take their seats around Lin. Even Jet is on stand by. 

“Li, I’m going to need to you to come with me tonight. We’ve got some things to take care of.” 

“May I ask what sort things?” He asks. 

“I’ll fill you in on the ferry.”

He nods without question. 

“Asami, I think you should go back to the mansion. Maybe you can dig up something there that might help you.” 

She thinks it over. The woman has a point. She nods. 

“Sanya, go with her.” 

Her niece nods. 

The wolf whines and puts his paw on Lin’s back. 

“I didn’t forget about you.” She scratches his head. “Mind if I borrow him tonight?” She asks Sanya.

“Go ahead. Jet, you take care of these two okay?” 

He skips to his human’s side and gives her a head butt before hoping over the table to sit beside Pebble. 

“I’ll see you two tomorrow.” Lin gets to her feet and motions for Pebble and Jet to follow. 

The girls watch them walk out of the room. They sit in silence mulling over the things they want to say. 

“Did you really think I’d let you go alone?” Sanya fiddles with the cups and plates left on the table. 

“I didn’t want to drag you into anything dangerous.”

“You’re not dragging me. I’m walking in willingly. I’m skipping in for spirits’ sake.” She buries her head in her hands. A laugh escapes with her breath. “You’re almost as stubborn as aunt Toph.” 

“How many more times are you going to get hurt because of me?”

“And you didn’t think it would hurt me to see you go alone?”  

Asami opens her mouth to speak. Her words will not come. She stares at her hands and picks at her skin around her nails. “I’m scared.” Her words float under her breath.

“What?” 

“I’ve lost everyone I’ve ever cared about. And sometimes I can’t get over the idea that maybe it’s my fault. I’m scared I’ll lose you too. You and Lin and Pebble. Even Jet. Maybe if I went in by myself that fear will go away. Because there’s no way you or they could get hurt.”

Sanya sighs. “I don’t have any wise words for you about that. I think auntie would.” She chews on her lip. “I understand though.” Large sapphire pools look into Asami’s eyes. “But, don’t you think I’m afraid of the same thing?” She does her best to smile, but her eyes deceive her lips. “You act like you have to do everything by yourself. It makes me think you forget we’re here,” She drops her gaze. “That I’m here too.” She gets to her feet. “I should clean this up before we go.” She stacks plates and cups. 

 A memory flashes in her head. The night she spent with Sanya by the lake back in Ba Sing Se. The night she told her about her mother. The day she found out about her grandparents. She puts her hand on her wrist expecting to feel her bracelet, but she greeted only by bare skin. She has forgotten so much in her attempt to remember everything. She reaches out for Sanya’s arm as the girl begins to rise to her feet. She pulls her down and wraps her arms around her body. Ceramic dishes crash onto the wooden floor and table. With a mighty squeeze, she buries her face in the girl’s back. “I’m sorry.” 

Hands run over her arms before resting on her hands. “Don’t be.” 

They sit in silence. Bumps and creaks of the house mingle with their soft breathing. With a deep breath, Asami lets go and pulls her hands back onto her lap. 

Sanya turns around to face her, she places her hand atop Asami’s. “Are we okay?” 

“Yes.”

“I can go with you?”

“Yes.”

“We should probably clean this up before we go.”

She smiles. “Yes.”

“Can you say anything other than yes?”

“Yeah.” She giggles. 

Sanya looks up with realization in her eyes. “When I worry about you so much, when I get upset at the thought of you doing things like taking on those guys by yourself… This must be how auntie feels when I go out and do stupid things or get into fights.” She looks to Asami. Feigned distress in her eyes makes the girl snicker. “Oh my spirits you’ve turned me into auntie!” She clasps her face with both hands. 

The binding around their hearts is lifted, allowing them to laugh freely. 

“We should hurry up and clean this so we can leave right away.” Asami picks up the plates and cups Sanya dropped. 

“We. I like the sound of that.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

The car nears the gate of the place she once called home. Several lights shine through windows on the first floor. She wonders what the housekeepers are doing up at this hour. 

Sanya pulls her head back into the car. “You lived here?” Her eyes widen as at the sight of the Sato mansion. 

“Yep.” 

“By yourself? I mean you had your dad of course, sorry. I mean, wait, that’s not helping.” She exhales. “Do you ever just wonder what’s wrong with my brain?” 

Asami smiles as the car stops. She hops out and clutches the key to the gate. It has been months since she last opened this gate. Memories of coming home with her father flood her mind. A memory of coming home with Lin calms the storm. She looks back to find curious blue eyes staring back at her. 

“Everything all right?” 

“Yeah. I just forgot which key.” She flashes a smile before opening the gate and scurrying back into the car. 

“You don’t have to lie to me. I know you don’t forget things.” She taps Asami’s head with her finger. “You’re too smart for that.”

“I’m not that smart.” She starts the car and drives past the front foyer. 

“And she’s modest too.” Sanya jokes. She looks back. “Shouldn’t we close it?” She points at the gate.

“One of the housekeepers will do it.”

“You have housekeepers? We tried to convince aunt Toph to get housekeepers. She never did like them.”

“Let me guess, she insisted that she could do everything herself, that Pebble was all she needed?” She looks up at the rows of dark windows lining the wall of the mansion. 

“Exactly.” 

“Well, she had you too.” 

The girl slouches in her seat. “I think I caused more trouble instead of helping.” She turns her head, long black hair covers her face.

“From what I know of her, she seemed to like trouble.” She offers a comforting smile. 

“I guess she did. And I’m assuming, because I am currently in your car and about to spend the night at your house, you like it too.” 

“I don’t. But, I like your brand of trouble.” She winks. 

The water bender busies herself by fiddling with her hair. Her arm hides the growing grin on her face.

The car slows to stop beside an extension of the mansion’s wall. A bright yellow light illuminates a long steel door. Asami steps out of the car with keys in hand. She wonders if the housekeepers have cleaned in here or if all her projects wait for her under a blanket of dust. 

“Garage?” Sanya asks as she pulls a large canvas bag and equally large leather suitcase out of the backseat.

“Yeah, my personal garage.” Asami fiddles with the lock on the door. 

“Personal? You mean you have another one?” 

“Two more. A bigger one out back by the testing tracks and one on the other side of the house for,” She looks up from the lock and stares at grimy steel. Her jaw tightens. “For other cars.” 

“Gotcha. What’s a testing track?” 

“It’s a race track where we test Satomobiles.” She busies herself with a second lock. “Well, the employees test the new cars. I sort of just fool around.” She makes her way to the center of the door.

“Well, well Miss Sato. It seems you have your own brand of trouble as well.” Sanya jests. 

She smirks. “I guess I do.” She pushes open both doors. 

Darkness greets them. The outdoor light reflects off the hood of several cars. She walks into the darkness without hesitation. She exhales and walks a few feet to her left and switches on the light. Five different models of Satomobiles, each a different color, greet their owner. Not one spec of dust tarnishes their shine. A sixth is parked away from the others, it’s hood lifted exposing its vital metal organs. The garage is large enough to fit three more cars. White florescent lighting bounces off the grey walls. A once brilliant white floor is now dull and scratched. Asami looks to her metal desk in the corner by a door. A few sheets of oil stained paper lie beside a screwdriver and a pair of tweezers. An equalist glove lies beside pile of various small tools. An open tool box sits on the floor by the stool, different types of pilers, screwdrivers, and wrenches are haphazardly thrown into it. A pair of boots lie on their side beside the box. Their soles have been reinforced with steel plates, rows of small circles line the plates. 

“This probably the biggest garage I have ever seen.” Sanya walks in carrying their bags. 

“You should see the one by the track.” 

The door on the other side of the garage flings open. “Welcome back!” A woman’s booming voice greets the girls. 

“Yuna, how are you?” With open arms, Asami walks over to a tall stocky older woman in a maid’s uniform.

“Oh dear, I’ve been worried sick about you.” She says in Asami’s ear as her large, beefy arms squeeze her neck.

The girl steps out of the embrace. She looks into the woman’s dark eyes, wet with tears that have yet to fall. Strands of salt and pepper hair fall around her face. The skin around her mouth wrinkles as a smile beings to grow. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you.” She squeezes the woman’s burly arms. 

“Ma’am, we’ve all been worried.” A younger girl in the same uniform wrings her apron. Small green eyes stare at Asami before dropping their gaze. “Shan hasn’t stopped crying since you left.” Her mousy voice informs. 

“Oh, that old cry baby. He’ll be fine.”

“How are you Win?” 

“Fine ma’am. Thank you for asking.” Her body snaps down and back up as she bows. 

“Where is Shan?” Yuna asks. 

“I’m here.” A tall thin man with slick black hair appears beside the girl. She wipes wetness from his eyes. 

“Are you all right?” Asami asks. 

“Yes, ma’am.” He straightens out his bow tie and smoothes out this blazer. 

Asami cranes her neck to get a better look at the corridor. “Where’s Hiro?” 

Win’s grip on her apron tightens. The skin on her knuckles turns white. Shan’s lower lip begins to shake. His face contorts as he tries to hold back sobs. 

“We threw him out!” Yuna crosses her arms and puffs out her chest. “He was one of them you see, tried to follow in you father’s footsteps but I wouldn’t let him harm my little ‘Sami. No ma’am! I tossed him out!” 

“Spirits, why didn’t you call me!” 

“I told you we should have called!” Win squeaks. 

“Oh hush! It’s taken care of.” Yuna hisses. “We knew you had enough to worry about. Plus, your friends who stayed here told us you were quite busy.” Playful eyes look past the girl.

Asami turns around to find a beaming Sanya standing with her hands behind her back. She waves at the group. 

“I’m sorry Sanya.” She waves the girl over. 

“This is Yuna, she was my nanny when I was growing up. She took care of me when my mom passed away.” 

“Pleasure to meet you ma’am.” Sanya bows as she shakes the older woman’s hand. 

“I know a water tribe girl when I see one. Up top or down low?”

“Down low, I guess.” Sanya responds.

“Me too!” Yuna tackles the girl with a hug. “Water bender?” She releases the girl.

“Yes ma’am.” 

“Good.” She slams a heavy hand onto Sanya’s back. “That’s a fine warrior’s wolf tail you got there, girl.” 

The girl puts a foot forward to steady herself from the unexpected blow. 

“I wasn’t too fond of that fire bender boy. Burnt my baby, you see. Hope you’re good at healing.” Yuna pretends to whisper. 

Asami rolls her eyes with a smirk on her face. “He has a name you know.”

Yuna winks. 

“That’s Win and Shan.” Asami points to the two standing by the doorway. 

Sanya steps forward and offers a hand to each of them. 

Asami stands back watches as her new life collides with her old one. “I’m going to give you all the night off.” She points to Win. “And don’t you worry, we’ve already eaten.” 

The girl nods, her grip on her apron loosens. 

“Shan, can you take our bags up to my room. And when you’re done with that, I want all of you to go out and have a good time. Can you do that for me?”

Three mouths open to protest. A single raised hand from Asami is enough to close them. “Can you grab my purse? I left it in the car.”

The water bender jogs back to the car. 

“You’ve all worked hard and deserve a break. I just want you all to know that I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and for standing by me despite all that’s happened.”

Sanya hands her the purse. 

Asami takes out a handful of pastel colored bills. “This is all the money I have on me right now and I hope it’s enough for you all to have a good time.” She takes Yuna’s hand, places the bills in her palm and closes it. “Please take it.” 

Form the corner of her eye she sees Sanya digging in her pockets. 

“Two thousand yuans? I can’t take this much.” She looks up from the bills in her hand. 

Sanya places a hundred yuan bill and four golden coins in Yuna’s hand. “How about that much?” She beams at the woman and places her hands behind her back. “I know it’s not much, but it’s all I have.” She offers a warm smile in addition to her money. 

Yuna pats the girl’s cheek. “Okay. Take care of her for me.”

“I will.” 

Shan walks past them and attempts to lift the leather suitcase. The old woman pockets the cash and lifts a canvas bag with ease. Win hurries to the man’s side and helps him lift the suitcase. They walk back into the corridor. Shan closes the door behind him. 

“I like them.” Sanya says as she takes a seat on the stool at Asami’s work station. 

“I think they like you too.” She walks to the car with the open hood. “I wish we could have all gone out, but we’ve got work to do.” 

“Okay.” Sanya spins around on the stool and looks through the papers on the desk. “What are we looking for exactly?”

“I don’t know.” Asami gets into the car’s front seat and rummages through the glove compartment. 

“So, we don’t know what we’re looking for?”

“We do. Sort of.” Asami removes the panel beneath the steering wheel. “Some equalist looking stuff. You know, anything that might look suspicious.” 

“This looks very equalist-y to me.” The clunking of metal mixes with the girl’s voice. 

Asami’s eyes widen. “No, Sanya don’t!” She hears the device whirring to life. 

A flash of orange flames brightens the room. The water bender grunts as she is knocked off the stool and onto the floor. She skids back and hits her head on the door. 

“It’s not finished yet.” She mutters under her breath. She hops out of the car and rushes to the girl still sitting on the floor. 

“What was that all about?” Sanya stares at her gloved hand. “You made this?”

Asami helps her to her feet and smoothes out her hair. “I didn’t make it. I just tinkered with it. I saw how Iroh used fire bending to propel himself through the air. I thought I’d try to make something that mimicked that.” She points to the boots. “It was surprisingly easy to tweak the gloves to go off like that.” She chews on her lip. 

“That’s weird. You’d think they almost wanted them to blow up at some point.” Sanya examines her hand. “I probably shouldn’t point this thing at my face.” She removes the glove and places back on the table.”

“You’re right, it is weird. The gloves they have now are just used to stun, to paralyze. But it was so simple making them deadly. Almost, too simple.” She turns to the water bender. “When we were at the factory, that guy you,”

“That guy I killed?” She drops her head and tugs on the sleeve of her sweater. White arm sleeves peek out from under the dark red fabric. 

Asami takes the girl’s hand. “You didn’t mean to. You saved my life. That glove was brighter than any other one I’ve ever seen. That man would have killed me. And you too. And maybe a bunch of other people. You saved us. I know that probably doesn’t make it any better.”

“Do you think they’ll try to kill more people tomorrow?” 

“I think so. I don’t know how to stop all of them at once.”

“Well, how do you break just one?”

“Short circuiting it. Overloading it with electricity so it malfunctions.” She rubs her forehead as ideas flood her mind. “Crushing it. Submerging it in enough water.”

“So you’re saying, if you could somehow get a wave of, say, electrically charged water to sweep over them, their gloves would break?” A spark ignites in her eyes. 

Asami nods. 

“I can do that.” 

“I’m hoping you won’t have to. Let’s go look someplace else.” Asami makes her way to the door. 

The gears in her mind churn. “He obviously likes to hide things right under our noses. Probably in places where I spend a lot of time, the housekeepers are less likely to clean there and snoop around.” 

“I’m guessing this is one of those places?” 

She nods. 

“Your room?” 

“Maybe. I don’t actually spend much time in there unless I’m sleeping or getting dressed.”

“The kitchen?”

Asami lets out a small laugh. “I’m not you and I can’t cook, so no.”

“The other garage?”

She shakes her head no. “The gym probably.” She makes her way to the door. 

 _He wouldn’t be stupid enough to hide anything here, would he?_ She thinks. The man’s office and garage were raided soon after his secret was revealed. The police found nothing. What chance do they have of finding anything now? She turns around to find Sanya by the door removing her shoes. 

“Red penguin socks?” She giggles.

“You’re just jealous you don’t have them. Have you ever been penguin sledding?”

“I have not.”

“I’ll take you one day.” She flashes a grin. “Then you’ll be wearing these too.” 

“Okay, I’ll hold you to that.” She laughs. “You don’t have to take off your shoes.”

“No need to bring the mess from outside into your home.” She smiles and carries her boots in her hands. “The housekeepers, do they live here too?” She stares at the high ceilings. 

“No, they’ve each got their own house on the property.”

“You don’t think he would have…”

Every possible place her father could have hidden something enters her mind. It would be impossible to search the entire property in one night. She might as well fight the entire equalist army on her own. She stops and leans on the wall, her eyes glued to the carpet. Flaws in her plan make themselves known. The worst possible outcomes assault her thoughts. Flashbacks turn themselves into future scenes. 

A pair of feet covered in red socks adorned with penguins comes into view. She looks up. Curious sapphire marbles plead for answers. “Don’t tell me you’ve given up already?”

Asami sighs and bangs her head against the wall. “We’re not going to find anything. Why did Lin even suggest this?” 

“I’ve learned not to question Beifong women. They see things no one else can. And hey you don’t know, we might find something.” She takes her hand and drags her through the hall. 

Asami does not resist. She watches the water bender walk. Her strides are long and confident. She holds her boots with an iron fist. But her grip on Asami’s hand is gentle, almost as though she is expecting the girl to let go. 

“Stop me anytime. I have no idea where I’m going.” 

The smirk on Asami’s face stretches from ear to ear. She tightens her grip on Sanya’s hand and takes the lead. She drags the girl a few doors down form their current position. The door to the gym does not have a lock. A slight push is all it takes to open the door. The girls step into darkness. Asami flips a switch to reveal a large gymnasium. The floor is made of yellow mats. Free weights and exercise machines line the left wall, a fine blanket of dust cover them. A wooden practice dummy stands against the wall to their right, while the far wall houses a display of various weapons and human shaped dummies made of hard foam. 

Asami kicks off her boots and socks before she steps into the gym. Her eyes examine the room. She feels Sanya let go of her hand. She watches the girl remove her socks and stuff them into her boots before stepping onto the yellow floor. 

“You have wooden one?” The water bender examines the practice dummy. 

“Must have been rough having to use one made of stone.” She takes heavy steps toward the weapons case. 

“Or one made of solid ice. May I?”

“Go ahead.” 

She drowns out the sound of palms hitting wood as she takes slow, heavy steps toward the weapons case. Not one piece of flooring creaks under her foot. She gets on her knees and runs her hands over the yellow mats. The sound of wood splitting makes her snap her neck in Sanya’s direction. 

The water bender stands with her hand embedded into the center of the wooden dummy. Her free hand is open with her palm facing Asami. Wide eyes plead for forgiveness. “I can pay for that.” 

“Are you okay?” She gets to her feet and calmly walks over to the wooden dummy.

Sanya’s stands up straight as she pulls her hand out of the dummy. Her brow furrows and her eyes drift toward the newly made hole. Asami watches her. She says nothing for fear of interrupting the girl’s thoughts. She sends another fist into the dummy. Asami does not flinch. Another fist into a wooden torso. The hole is now large enough to fit both of Pebble’s meaty hands. 

She is still as Sanya reaches into the hole and pulls out a tube of blue paper. She hands it to her without hesitation. 

“You have got to be kidding me.” Asami exhales. 

The water bender can only shrug. 

She takes it and walks away from the pile of wooden shards now decorating the yellow floor. Suspicions fill her mind, did her father intend for her to find this? She unravels the paper to find blueprints. Her eyes scan every line, every note, every measurement. She holds in her hands what might be the blueprint to the first Future Industries factory. 

“What was that doing in there?” She mutters to herself through gritted teeth. 

“I don’t mean to be rude, but I feel like he’s mocking us. Or he’s just really lost it.” 

“I think it’s both. We had that thing put in,” She recedes into a memory. “Just after Korra came to town actually. I didn’t complain. I was actually really happy about it.” She drops her arms and stares at the ceiling. “I think he’ll be expecting us tomorrow.” 

“Well then, it would be rude of us not to show up.” Sanya appears before her. 

She diverts her attention back to the blueprint. “Can you hold this?” 

Sanya takes it and holds it out at arms length. 

“It’s bigger than I imagined, but mostly the same as what I drew. I don’t know what this is,” She traces a square on the paper. “It shouldn’t be too much of a problem if it’s just a place they keep supplies or more of those mechanical giants they love so much. I’m really hoping it isn’t anything new.” 

“Should we tell auntie?”

She shakes her head no. “She’s got enough on her plate.” She rolls up the blueprint. “It feels like he’s playing with us. Like he knows I’ll never be clever enough to outsmart him. It’s like some sick game to prove he’s better than me, than all of us.” She tosses it against the wall. Her chest rises and falls. With each inhalation she takes in grief and with exhalation she releases rage. 

“This would be a good time for you to beat up that wooden dummy I just broke, sorry about that by the way. But you have me.” Sanya pokes her sides. “Meat dummy.” Her mouth smiles but her eyes worry. 

Asami allows herself to let out a small laugh. “I’m not just going to beat you up.”

“Okay then, I’ll fight back.”

She looks at the girl, standing there with her hands clutching her arms. Asami scoffs and shakes her head. 

Sanya takes a step toward her. “I just think there’s a lot in here.” Her finger hovers over Asami’s chest. “You smile and laugh. Make these plans and try to run your company, but it still hurts doesn’t it? And it’s making things very cloudy up here.” Her finger travels to her head. “But, all those clouds… It’s bound to rain and the water’s gotta so somewhere. So, the storm ends up down here.” She points to her chest again. “You know, that’s where I wanna be. I’m hoping there will be room for me one day. Maybe I can help make the storms stop every now and then.” Her voice drops and her face flushes. “Even if there’s no room for me, it can’t be fun being in that cycle all the time. So, let it storm some place else. You’ve got a water bender right here willing to take all that extra rain.”

The rage in her chest disappears. She stares at Sanya, but the girl cannot keep her gaze. “Sanya,”

The water bender shakes her head. “Meat dummy.” She grins. 

Asami cannot hold back her laughter. “Okay, I’ll bite. Meat dummy that fights back, right?” 

Sanya puts her fist into her palm and bows. 

She returns the gesture. She bends her knees. Her left foot slides back while her right one plants itself into the mat. A palm faces Sanya and a fist hovers above her head, waiting for a moment to strike. 

The water bender takes a step to the right. Her left foots slides in a small half circle before locking into place. Her knees bend into stance that would have made Toph proud. A mischievous smirk is painted on her face. She brings her hands up, as if parting an invisible curtain. Her movements are fluid, like a tranquil stream flowing around obstacles. Open palms face Asami, as though she wishes to show her unseen gifts.  

With her back foot, Asami takes a step forward. A long sweeping leg aims for Sanya’s torso, but it is easily blocked. She jabs to distract the water bender from a kick to the knees. Her foot hits only air. Thoughts and memories fade with each kick. With each punch as she becomes more focused on her body’s movements. Yet despite all this, a burning pit of sentiment lashes out in her chest. 

Sanya counters with open palms aimed at her body and face. Asami evades each attack. She is thankful the girl decided to wear a top with sleeves as she dodges another attack. Quick hands grab onto the sweater’s sleeve. She pulls the girl toward her, and in one swift motion she gracefully sidesteps around her body and uses her back leg to kick. The water bender blocks the kick, but slides back from absorbing the blow. Asami does not wait for the girl to get comfortable. Her leg arches up and aims for the shoulder, her skirt fans out as the fabric snaps. She is blocked again. 

“Not bad for a meat dummy.”  

Sanya shrugs with a complacent smile on her face. 

Asami wants to wipe the smug grin of her face. Quick feet close the gap between them. Like a crane in flight, she soars as her fists attack in rapid succession. She sweeps her back leg up to kick. The girl evades her attack. A fan of milky white and jet black hair brush against her ankle. As soon as her foot hits the ground, a palm and a shoulder hit her stomach. She becomes unbalanced as her feet struggle to find stability. She leans back and ducks as she avoids another barrage of attacks. A smirk spreads across her face. Her feet find security, but she does not show it. 

The water bender pushes away Asami’s punches and extends her hands to push the girl back. Open palms stop just short of her breasts. Sanya’s eyes widen in shock. 

She shakes her head. “No, no, no. I didn’t mean to, no,”

A mischievous smirk grows on Asami’s face as she pushes away Sanya’s palms. Her arms swoop in for a series of punches, but each is blocked. Sanya’s open palms counter with each block. Asami locks herself into the water bender’s attacks. She refuses to be pushed away again. The girls’ arm are locked together, like the antlers of fighting gemsbok bulls. From afar one might think they are dancing. The water bender’s feet kick and slide, doing their best to trip their opponent. Asami evades and attacks. Their movements rival that of professional dancers. 

She steps back and sends a kick toward Sanya’s head. The girl dodges the attack, and like water spilling, she rolls forward onto the floor. She grabs Asami’s other leg and pushes her onto her back. She keeps her hold on her leg. Asami waits for her to get comfortable. Her playful smile spreads from ear to ear. She wraps one of her legs around Sanya’s body, the other around her leg. Her left hand grabs the water bender’s side as her right hand pushes her shoulder. She pins the water bender to the ground by holding her hands above her head. She makes herself comfortable as she straddles Sanya’s hips. The only sound in the room comes from the girls’ heavy breathing. Asami’s heart beats against her ribcage. She laughs. She is not sure why, but she laughs. The girl below her beams. 

“Thank you.” Asami finally says after catching her breath. 

“For?”

“Clearing up the storm. There’s plenty of room for you here.” She taps her chest. 

Bright red creeps into the girl’s face. “Just let me know when I can move in.”

Asami giggles. “I think you moved in a long time ago.” 

The flush on her face deepens. With her hands will pinned down, she lifts her head and kisses Asami’s cheek. 

“You wanna try that again? I think you missed.” Asami bites back a grin.

Sanya’s eyes widen with surprise. She lifts her head again. Asami meets her halfway. The moment their lips touch she feels a familiar warmth enveloping her body. She intertwines her fingers with Sanya’s as she still holds the girls hands over her head. A nagging pull in the pit of her stomach makes her body move lower so she straddles the girl’s legs. A primal hunger aches for more. Her lips curl into a smile she is sure the water bender can feel. She is glad the girl is not protesting having her hands pinned to the floor. 

Sanya’s hips slide up. Asami whimpers in the girl’s mouth. The sudden contact sets her skin on fire. The hunger in her grows. It pleads for more. 

She pulls away. Sanya’s heavy breath dry her wet lips. The water bender bites her lip as she watches Asami’s chest rise and fall. A pang of playful jealously hits her. She wants to be the one to bite those full pink lips. 

After catching her breath, she leans down to kiss the girl again. Sanya jerks her head up to meet Asami’s lips. The moment their lips touch, a soft thud echoes in the room. They are pulled apart by unseen hands. Asami releases her grip on the water bender’s hands and snaps up. Her boots have fallen over. 

Yuna stands in the doorway wearing a light blue dress. An impish smirk decorates her face. “Well, I see you two are busy.”

“Oh no! We were just sparring!” She jumps to her feet. Her face burns with embarrassment.  

“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” The old woman laughs. “Well, I just wanted to let you know that we’ll be leaving now. You two can get back to your sparring.” She continues to chuckle as she walks back into the hall. 

Asami jogs after her. She is not sure why, for she cannot think of one word to say. She leans on the doorway. 

“Don’t worry, we’ll lock the door and the gate.” Yuna waves as she walks down the corridor.

“Thank you!” Asami screams. 

The woman waves without looking back. 

She turns back into the gym to find Sanya clutching the blueprint with her head against the wall. 

“What are you doing?” Asami calls out, a small laugh lines her words. 

“You got me all hot and bothered.” She covers her face. 

Asami’s face turns a deeper shade of red. “Sanya.” She calls out again, her outstretched hand beacons for her. 

The water bender peeks out from behind her hands. Her eyes land on the hand calling to her. Asami bites back a grin as she wonders what is going through her head. Sanya walks toward her, blueprint still in her hand.

She reaches out for Asami’s hand and freezes. Her hand hovers over the girl’s open palm. “If I touch you, I don’t think I can stop.” 

“Good.” She grabs Sanya’s hand and drags her out of the room. 

It has been a long time since she last ran through these corridors with a smile on her face. The floors echo their footfalls, reminding them how empty the mansion is tonight. The walls are silent, promising to keep this night a secret. 

She leads Sanya up a arching staircase. They run head first into darkness. For a moment, Asami thinks she might have lost her way. She has been away for so long that the corridors seem unfamiliar without light to guide her. She remembers the Beifong home, full of life and laughter. A stark contrast to this mansion, so empty an quiet. She wonders how she could ever call this palace a home again. 

She slows to a stop. A warm body bumps into her. 

“Don’t tell me you’re lost.” 

“Would you still follow me if I were? You’d end up lost too.” She smirks. 

“I wouldn’t be lost if I were with you.” Her voice is nearly a whisper. 

Asami turns around, taken aback by the girl’s response. She cannot see Sanya. The water bender is mere silhouette in the shadows. Her grip tightens on her hand. She opens her mouth to speak, but her words are caught in her throat. 

Sanya’s lips brush against her hand. “Let’s go get lost?”

“Let’s.” She pulls Sanya to a lone door at the end of the corridor. 

The handle is cold as she turns it to open the door. Someone has pulled back the heavy burgundy curtains on the windowed doors taking up most the opposite wall. Moonlight spills into the room. Elongated shadows decorate the dark wooden floors. Their bags are neatly set against the wall on her right. A large four post bed sits idly in the center of the room. White sheets and matching pillows wait patiently to be used. A fine layer of dust covers a large antique desk and chair on the far right wall. This desk is empty, unlike the mess she left on her work station in the garage. A lone notepad and a telephone are all that sit atop this desk. She looks to her left to find her make-up counter empty. The photos that once decorated the large vanity mirror are gone, leaving only their outline. 

“It’s so big.” Sanya’s eyes scan the room as she closes the door. 

“I guess it is. The bathroom is through that door.” She points to a door beside the vanity mirror and make up counter. “I’ve got a bunch of towels in my closet.” Her finger swings to the right to points to a door beside her desk. “I guess that’s all there is to know. So, welcome to my old room.”

She begins to walk toward the two doors leading to the balcony that take up their position at the opposite end of the room. A soft tug of her hand pulls her back. She turns to face Sanya and stumbles into the girl’s arms. Her eyes become sapphire gems in the pale moonlight. The white in her hair nearly glows a soft silver. Asami thinks the moon spirit herself proudly shines a spotlight on her own creation. Sanya leans in and presses her lips on Asami’s. She does not object. She plans to finish what they started in the gym. Asami holds Sanya’s face in her hands. She pushes the girl back against the door. Her hand searches for the door handle. She pulls away from the kiss, and stares at Sanya’s mouth. The water bender’s tongue runs along her lips, taking in the taste Asami left. 

 _Click_. The sound of the door locking brings a smile to both their faces. Smiles that do not dissipate as they dive back into their kiss. Strong hands take hold of Asami’s hips and slide up her back. She takes a step back, pulling the girl with her. Sanya follows as she presses her body against Asami’s. The heat radiating off her body enthralls her. The pressure in the pit of her stomach demands more then a kiss. 

Something hits the back of Asami’s knees. She falls backwards onto her bed. Sanya pulls up her skirt and parts her knees, wedging her body between her legs. She steadies herself with her arms on either side of Asami. 

“I don’t know why I did that. I’m sorry.” She says between breaths. 

“I’m not” Asami gives her a quick peck on the lips before sliding up to the head of the bed. She pulls Sanya in by the collar of her sweater. 

The girl takes her place between Asami’s legs. She wraps her legs around Sanya’s torso before reaching up and pulling off the girl’s hair tie. She runs her fingers through her hair. Tiny tendrils of silk caress her skin. The girl sits on her heels and shoots Asami a smile. She has never seen Sanya smile like this before. Breathing becomes difficult for her. She cannot look away. Her heart pounds in her chest. Her worries vanish and her mind is blank. All because of a smile. 

The water bender leans in to kiss her again. She can feel the girl’s hand fiddling with the buttons on her top as though they unsure if they are allowed to undo them. Asami refuses to release Sanya’s lips as she hastily wriggles out of her top. She tosses it aside and flings her arms around Sanya’s neck. Her hands hover over Asami’s bare skin, but she does not touch her. 

She pulls away, finding fear in the water bender’s eyes. “Why are you afraid to touch me now?” She whispers into Sanya’s mouth. 

“I have rough hands.” 

She cannot help but smile. “I don’t care.”

The water bender’s fingers glide over her skin and undo the hooks on her bra. A sharp inhale causes a tiny shriek to escape her lips when Sanya’s pushes her back into the bed. The nagging in her grows, it craves the water bender’s bare skin. She tugs her sweater over her head and throws it behind her without breaking their kiss. She presses her body against Asami. Her warmth radiates from her skin. The scent of lilies and lavender fills her. She runs her hands along the muscles on Sanya’s back. Her fingers trace the raised skin of her tattoos and claw her chest wrap. 

Sanya pulls away. Asami bites her lip. Soft bite marks appear as the girl grins. Her lips brush against Asami’s chin. She stares at the ceiling and tries to steady her breathing. A sparkle catches her eye, but her mind is too intoxicated to wonder what it is. 

Sanya moves down to her neck. Her eyes shut when she feels her tongue graze her skin like a feather. The water bender writes her name on Asami’s skin with her lips. An S on her neck makes breathing difficult. Sanya slides down her body. An A between her breasts makes her shiver, feeding the fire Sanya ignited within her. She fears she might lose control of her body. An N is planted at her side, just below her ribs. The warm wetness of her lips makes causes a whimper to escape Asami. Her hips move up, craving attention. She steadies herself and covers her mouth. Sanya slides down again, her hands on Asami’s hips. 

She looks up. “Is this okay?” Her voice is lower and softer than usual. 

Asami looks down to see the girl sitting between her legs. She nods yes. She needs her to finish spelling out her name. Light hands unzip her skirt and pull off her leggings. Her lips graze her hip bone as her tongue draws a Y on her skin. The pressure in the pit of her stomach intensifies. Hot breath sets her skin aflame as it travels down her thigh. Her chest rises and falls with her labored breathing. The water bender lowers her head and presses an A with her lips against her inner thigh. Asami’s muscles tense as her back arches up. She groans and finds herself wishing that the water bender had a longer name. 

“Is this okay?”  

“You really don’t need to ask anymore.” She exhales.

The corners of Sanya’s mouth twitch into a smirk. Asami throws her head back, the sparkling object on the ceiling catches her eye again. The feeling of teeth grazing against her inner thigh makes her mind go blank. She wriggles as her hands clutch the bedsheets. It takes all her effort to keep from whimpering. The water bender’s hand slides in between her legs and applies gentle pressure. Asami gasps, a groan escapes her as she shuts her eyes. Her grip on the bedsheets tightens. Her body demands more of Sanya’s touch. Her lungs forget how to breathe. The girl’s tongue, like a brush, paints her picture on Asami’s skin. 

She feels her underwear slip down her leg. She covers her face with her hands. Chill air hits wet skin and brings a shiver up her spine. Her clouded mind can only focus on trying to silence herself. Sanya’s warm exhale makes her tense. She feels a tap on her elbow. She looks down to see Sanya’s face between her thighs. 

“Don’t hide.” She whispers. 

Asami’s hands grip the blanket below her. Every nerve in her body pleads for Sanya’s kiss. This wish is granted. It feels as though she is losing herself in a current. Each moment of contact sends her further down a river and further away form her troubles. Her back arches up and her hips move forward. She bites her lip as she groans. She runs her hand through Sanya’s hair. She smiles when she realizes she might be holding onto the girl’s hair just a little too tightly. The nagging in the pit of her stomach intensifies. Uneven breaths come between low groans. Molten ore flows through her veins, feeding the flames between her thighs. Asami’s grip on the blanket tightens. Her muscles tense. Each kiss feeds the fire she started. Each brush of her tongue sends shockwaves throughout her body. The pressure in Asami’s stomach detonates. She throws her head back and lets out a cry. She unknowingly pushes Sanya’s head down. Overwhelming waves pulse through her body. With ragged breaths, she cries out again. Her body falls back onto the bed.

Her muscles unwind. She releases her hold on Sanya’s head and allows the girl to come up for air. Gentle kisses and soft nips cause her to wriggle. Every nerve stands on end, ready to receive more of what Sanya has to offer. The water bender slides her body between Asami’s legs. She brings her hand up to wipe glistening wetness from her mouth. Asami stops her. She removes each of her sleeves and kisses the scars covering the girl’s arm. Her lips leave a trail from Sanya’s wrist to her mouth. The water bender’s lips are slick and taste of her. Her hunger has only grown. 

Asami pulls away and sits on her heels. “Turn around.” Her voice is husky. 

Sanya obeys. 

The pale rays of the moon illuminate the dark ink on the girl’s back. Asami pushes her hair to the side and begins undoing her chest wrap. The picture painted on her back slowly makes itself known. This will be the first time she sees the piece in its entirety. She unwinds the last foot of the wrap and tosses it into a bundle at the foot of the bed. She stares at what seems to be the spirit of a woman wearing a long robe materializing from a crescent moon. The woman’s hand reaches out for a cloud. Within the cloud two koi fish swim in a circle, one painted a pale blue while the other is pure black. Her other hand carries a shield. She has no eyes, no mouth, no face. But, there is something in her facelessness that brings a sudden pang of sorrow to Asami’s heart. Her finger traces the indentations left by the chest wrap. She kisses her shoulder and wraps her arms around her. The girl offers her neck. Asami cannot refuse. She drags her nails down Sanya’s abdomen. The girl’s muscles tense. Her fingers fight with pants’ buttons before she slides her hand down to reap her reward. The girl inhales and exhales with an audile gasp. Her soft groans echo in her ears. She holds the girl tighter, her nails dig into her ribs and slide down her abdomen. Her mind is drunk with the sound of Sanya’s voice, a voice only she is allowed to hear. 

Sanya’s hips move forward, pleading for more. Her body becomes a slave to her touch. Asami cannot help but grin at the thought. The sudden power she has over the girl only intensifies her hunger. Sanya pulls away. A moment of panic overcomes Asami, _did I do something wrong?_ She thinks. The water bender sits at the foot of the bed and wriggles out of the clothes covering her lower half. She turns to face her. The same hunger that nags at Asami glistens in the water bender’s eyes. For a moment, she is frozen. She watches Sanya come to her on all fours. Her lips part just as they meet Asami’s, and she exhales. Hot breath flows into Asami’s mouth, she has forgotten to breath. She inhales before sealing her mouth with a kiss. 

She falls onto her back without breaking the kiss. Sanya straddles her leg. A curtain of her hair falls to one side, hiding their face from an ever watchful moon. Asami’s hips move up as Sanya’s move down. She feels she no longer has control of her body as it becomes desperate to feed the nagging hunger below her waist. Sanya breaks their kiss as her lips make their way down Asami’s neck. She can feel the girl’s heart nearly bursting out of her chest. Each exhale carries a resonating cry. She opens her eyes to find that sparkling object on her ceiling again. One thrust from Sanya shuts her eyes and makes her gasp. She presses her body into her, wanting to hold her closer. She inhales the scent sweat and lavender muddled together, it enthralls her. Nails claw at silken skin. Groans and whimpers fill her ears. Sanya’s teeth clamp down on her neck. Asami cries out, not from pain but from pleasure. Her hips move to match Sanya’s rhythm. The water bender’s body tenses. She can no longer suppress her cries. As though the flood gates were broken, Asami feels a raging river wash over the girl. A river that spills into her. The girl’s labored breaths dry her wet skin. Her body begins to relax. She jolts at the slightest touch. But the hunger in Asami demands more. 

She swings her leg around Sanya’s torso and pushes her down. Asami now sits atop the girl. She pins her hands above her head. The water bender’s chest rises and falls rapidly. The look in her eyes, like the moon to the tide, pulls at the pressure nagging in Asami’s stomach. 

“Sanya, this is bad.”  

The waterbender chews on her lip as she raises an eyebrow. 

“I’m not going to let you get any sleep tonight.” 

“You and I have very different definitions of the word bad.” Her voice is low and raspy. 

Asami grins as she runs her hands down her body until they find their place between her legs. She arches her back and pulls on her restraints. Her rib cage expands as she bites her bicep. The groan rising up from her throat sets off another fire in Asami. She knows it is a bad idea to stay up all night. She knows they need to rest. She knows they will be exhausted tomorrow. The grin on her face grows as she dives into Sanya again. 

One kiss from the water bender stamps out her logic and reignites her lust. 

 

 

“Yes, I understand.” She twirls the phone’s cord on her finger. 

The man on the other end of the phone spews statistics at her. She sits at her desk and does her best to take in all the numbers. 

Asami brings the collar of her shirt up to her nose and inhales. She looks back at the sleeping figure on her bed. Her hand drops to her inner thigh. Her finger runs over a purple patch of skin, a signature left by Sanya. A twinge of left over sensations briefly courses through her body. Her fingers glide over a mark on her neck. Scenes from last night flash in her head. 

“Miss Sato? Are you still there?” His voices pulls her out of her memories and brings her back into the present. 

“Yes, I’m sorry.” Her head snaps back to stare at the phone. “I understand sir. I agree with you.” She rubs her forehead as the fog of sleepiness creeps into her head. “Go head with the plans. Inform everyone that the factory will be closed for at least a week. I will call a meeting within a few days to talk about what we will do afterward. The important thing now is to compensate those who were injured and killed during the attack, is that clear?”

“But ma’am the factory’s funds,”

“But nothing. They will be compensated the amount I have stated. Is that clear.” 

A pause. 

“Yes ma’am.”

“Good. Enjoy your day off.” She hangs up the phone. 

She smooths out her shirt and walks back to sit on the bed. Sanya lies on her stomach on the side of the bed she usually takes up. She faces Asami, but a blanket of white and black cover her sleeping features. She reaches out and pushes the blanket down. Her fingers run over the red marks she left on the girl’s back, remnants of last night. She leans in closer to inspect her tattoos. The koi fish swimming in the cloud are gone. Only her claw marks are left where they once swam. 

The water bender stirs. Asami pulls away and crawls back into the sheets. She sits against the headboard, its bars dig into her back. 

“Sanya, are you awake?”  

“No.” Her voice is heavy with sleep.

“Okay.” She says with a smirk on her face. 

She takes a pillow and wallops Sanya’s back. 

The girl does not move. A single blue eye peeks out from behind a curtain of hair. “That was uncalled for.”

Asami giggles. 

Sanya wraps her arm around Asami’s thighs and rest her head on her lap. “Who was on the phone?” She mutters.

“You heard?”

“Some of it.”

“Person from the company called. No good news of course. We have to close down for a bit.” She runs her finger through the girl’s hair. 

Sanya groans. “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s fine.” Her head falls back onto the bars of her headboard. 

Her eyes catch the object on her ceiling. She straightens up. From her position it looks like a small, chrome plated handle. 

She pats Sanya’s arm. “Can you help me with something?” 

“Of course.” She flips onto her back and sits up. 

Asami points to the ceiling. “I think we need to open that.” 

The water bender sweeps her hair back and looks up. “Okay, can you turn on the sink?” 

Asami leaps out of bed and heads toward the bathroom door. 

“But before you do that,”

She freezes and turns around. 

“Could I have a shirt? Since you seem to gone through the trouble of looking for and wearing mine.” 

She looks down at the shirt, the insignia of the Republic City metal bending police is printed on its front. She smiles and heads toward her closet. Asami looks for one shirt in particular, a black one with the Future Industries logo printed in red. She digs it out of a pile of her old pajamas. It is wrinkled and the logo has faded. She smoothes it out and jogs toward her bathroom door. She tosses the shirt at Sanya as she passes by. Asami barges into her bathroom and immediately turns on the sink . The water does not make it into the bowl as it zooms past her into her room. Water hovers above the bed as it solidifies into blocks that start to form steps. She yawns and walks up the frozen staircase as it forms.  

“Okay. That’s good, thanks.” She gives a thumbs up. 

Asami shuts off the water and scurries back into her room. 

“It looks like someone tried to paint over this.” Cream colored paint chips fall onto the bed and floor. “And maybe someone tried to get in here and open it again.”

Sanya pulls the handle down with her finger. 

Nothing happens.

She jiggles the handle. The ceiling creaks. With a mighty shove, a panel gives way and causes a flurry of chips to fall. She pushes the panel in and sticks her head inside. The opening is small, too small to allow Sanya to crawl into it. Her broad shoulders hit the edges, but she does not seem to mind. 

“Are you okay? Do you need a flashlight?”

She does not answer. Instead, she ducks out and reaches into the hole. “Watch out.” She warns as she pulls out a thick leather bound book and drops it. _Thud_. A cloud of dust forms and dissipates around the book. Asami crouches beside it. 

“You had no idea that was up there?” Sanya jumps down and begins bending the ice back into the bathroom. 

Asami shakes her head no. “Apparently, I’m really bad a noticing things in my own house.” She dusts off the book and examines the lock on its side. “I told you I’m hardly ever in here if I’m not sleeping. And I don’t sleep on my back, I would have never noticed it before.” The lock clicks. She looks up to find Sanya sitting on the bed with her legs crossed. 

Asami falls on her bottom and opens the lock with a sigh. “I think it’s someone’s journal. It could be my-“ She stops mid-sentence. 

A photo falls into her lap. Five year old Asami shows off a gap toothed grin as her mother holds her hand. She smiles, but her eyes look tired. Hiroshi Sato stands beside them, holding his jacket and looking straight into the camera. 

She swallows the lump in her throat and sets the photo aside. Hesitant fingers flip through the yellowed pages. Elegant strokes of ink fill entire pages. Detailed sketches of flowers and people break up blocks of text. More photos of a younger Asami and her mother are stuck between the pages. 

“Asami?”

“This belonged to my mother.” Her voice is flat. 

She stops on a page and begins reading. _We had another fight. Hiroshi still refuses to make peace with my sister. I don’t want to think he has something against earth benders, or benders in general… But sometimes I feel like I married a stranger. The things he says when he’s angry… I shouldn’t think too much about that right? He won’t let me leave again. I think I might go mad if I didn’t have my daughter. She’s so big now. She said her first word today, ‘mama.’ Yuna says she looks just like me, but I think she looks more like Isami. I wonder if she’ll look like my sister when she grows up._

Asami stops reading and closes the journal. Tears well up in her eyes, but she refuses to let them fall. Her mother never mentioned her aunt, nor did Hiroshi. She shakes her head. Hiroshi always carried his hatred for benders. She cannot deal with this journal today. Not today of all days. Anxieties return, causing a hurricane of thoughts in her mind. The hurricane is halted. She feels arms wrap around her waist. 

She wipes away a stray tear. “I would have been her birthday today.” 

“I know.” Sanya face is buried in Asami’s back. “Aunite told me.”Her muffled words travel up her back. 

She opens her fist to reveal a necklace. A large pink pearl sits in the center. Two smaller white pearls sit on either side. A thin silver chain holds them together. 

“Auntie helped me make it. I’m sorry it couldn’t be prettier.” Sanya rests her head on her shoulder. “I could only find five good ones. I gave the rejects to the air babies. Why didn’t anyone tell me it was so hard to find pearls.” She jokes.

“You dove for these?” She runs a finger along the silver chain. 

“I did.”

“For me?”

“Well, for your mom. You told me about her pearl necklace and how much you loved it. So, I thought I would make you one to help you feel better about everything.” 

She takes the necklace in her hand. Her eye catches the photo of on the floor. Her mother wears a pearl necklace in the photo. 

“Can I wear it?” 

“If you want.” 

She moves her hair aside and gives holds up the necklace. Sanya takes it and fastens it around her neck. 

Asami turns around and throws her arms around Sanya’s neck. “Why are you so good to me?”

“You’ve had a lot of bad things in your life. And it makes me mad because you have such a big heart, it doesn’t seem fair. I can at least try to be one good thing.” She tightens her embrace. “Plus a girl like you? Please, you deserve better than screw-up like me.” 

She pulls away and slaps the water bender’s arm.

“What did I do?” She tries to suppress a grin. 

Asami takes the girl’s face in her hands and pushes her cheeks together. “Don’t ever say that again. You’re wonderful.”

Sanya nods yes and does her best to smile with pursed lips. 

She gives her a quick kiss before releasing her grip. “Thank you for this.” She runs a hand over the smooth pearls. “I should show this to Lin though.”

“I think you should read it before you show it to her.”

“I might.” 

The girls stare at journal. Asami wants to spend the day reading her mother’s journal, lying in bed with Sanya, living in her own little bubble. But, she has no choice but to put all this aside today. 

She leans on Sanya’s chest and fiddles with her hands. “I have an aunt. Or, had. I don’t know if she’s still alive.”

“Oh?” Sanya picks up the photo. 

“My mom thought I’d look like her.”

“She must be gorgeous then. Are all the women in your family so good at drawing?” 

Asami smiles. Her face turns pink. 

Sanya places the photo on the journal. “Happy birthday Mrs. Sato.” 

She exhales, her breath carrying away some of her tension. 

The girls sit in silence. Asami closes her eyes and allows the glow of the noon sun to warp its arms around her. Sanya’s heart beats like a drum. Its steady beat carrying her into a sea ofpeace. She allows herself to be carried into its depths. _Thump. Thump. Thump._ A soft noise thrusts her back to the surface. She wrinkles her brow and does her best to ignore it. _Thump. Thump. Thump._ The noise is louder this time. 

“Did you hear that?” She bolts up. 

“Hear what?” 

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

“Okay, I heard that.” Sanya confirms. 

Asami jumps to her feet and dashes to her closet. She pulls on a pair of shorts as she tosses a second pair at Sanya. She hurries out of her room and down the stairs. _Thump. Thump. Thump_. Someone is banging on the door. There are not many people who can get past the front gate. The gears in her mind turn. Her heart races as it circulates anxiety through her veins. She puts a hand on the door handle and takes a deep breath. She bends her knees and prepares to defend herself. With a mighty heave, she opens the door. 

“Good afternoon. Or should I say good morning?” 

“Lin?” She relaxes. 

The woman stands at her doorway. She carries a basket of fruits and two pink boxes in one hand. “May I come in?”

“Of course.” Asami stands aside and peeks out through the door. Her front gate is locked. A car is parked in the outdoor foyer. “I thought that was locked.” She mutters to herself as she closes the door. 

“It was.” She winks. 

Asami nods with a smile. “What brings you here? Is something wrong?” 

“Calm down. It’s your mom’s birthday. I thought I’d bring lunch. Or, should I say breakfast.” 

The girl’s eyes widen. They plead with Lin. Asami stands on her toes. The woman sighs then opens her arms. Asami lunges and gives her a mighty embrace. 

“Auntie!” Sanya calls from the top of the staircase. 

Asami releases Lin. Sanya scurries toward her aunt with open arms. The woman pushes her away with a palm to the forehead. 

“Okay, that’s fine.” Sanya smoothes out her shirt as she tries to suppress a grin. 

“I take it you two had a long night.” Lin turns to Asami. 

“What?” 

The metal bender points to her neck. 

Asami’s face burns with embarrassment. Sanya’s signature is in plain view. She covers it with her hand. “We were sparring.” 

“I was talking about the necklace, but okay. You can call it whatever you want.” She holds up a hand. 

“Well, we found something!” Asami blurts out in a desperate attempt to change the subject. 

“You did?” Surprise lines the woman’s voice. 

“Isn’t that why you told us to come here?” Sanya asks. 

“Well, no. That was just an excuse. You two have been through a lot and the only thing that seems to comfort you is each other. I thought you needed a bit of a alone time after that whole boat incident. Plus, having you two come out here might draw out some equalists. Sorry, I might have you used you as bait. But my people didn’t catch anyone.”

The girls stand in awe. Their eyes glued to the woman. Sanya’s jaw drops. 

“But at least the first half of my plan worked. You two seemed to do a lot of comforting last night.” She opens one of the boxes in her hand, takes out a steamed bun and shoves it into her niece’s open mouth. “Now, which way to the kitchen and where is this thing you found?”

Asami shakes her head. “Sanya can you get the blueprint please?”

The water bender stares at her. Her eyes asking a question her mouth cannot speak. 

Asami nods. 

Sanya bolts up the stairs with the steamed bun still in her mouth. 

“The kitchen is over here.” She leads Lin down a quiet corridor. 

Asami rubs her forehead. The reality of today finally sets in. Her stomach ties itself into knots. She would give anything to live in last night’s memory. They enter an empty kitchen. A white marble countertop sits on an island in the center of the vast room. An empty tea kettle sits beside a six burner stove top. She opens the pale blue curtains on all three windows along the far wall. The sun pours its rays into the room. 

Lin takes a seat on a stool at the island. Asami sits opposite of her. The woman opens the boxes to reveal a variety of buns and rolls. 

She pushes them toward Asami. “Please.” 

The girl nods and takes a golden bun. “Thank you.” 

“Housekeepers not in?” 

“I gave them the night off. They should be here in a few hours.” 

Lin raises an eyebrow and takes a bite of her roll. “So, you two are okay? She didn’t do anything wrong?”

“Oh no!” Asami fidgets. “We’re fine. She’s a total sweetheart.” 

“She better be.” Lin murmurs. 

“How are things on your end?”

“I’ve got the police under control. I don’t know why they still listen me, I’m not their chief anymore.”

“You’ll always be the Chief.” Asami leans over and lightly punches her shoulder.

“Yeah.” Lin tries not to smile. “The actual chief didn’t seem to happy about it though. Most of them will be on site. Bumi and his troops will be on stand by at the docks just in case.”

Asami frowns. So many people are depending on her plan to succeed. 

“I thought you’d be happy to hear that.”

“Me too. I came up with a plan based on guesses. It seems a bit weird doesn’t it?” 

“Weirder things have happened. Trust me.” 

“And weirder they’ll get.” She leans in closer to the woman. “Lin, I have to warn you and I know you’ll tell the others. This group is much more dangerous than before. There are more of them, not as highly trained or skilled, but the numbers might be overwhelming. Their gloves can be set to kill.”

The metal grates on the stove begin to rattle. “I understand.” 

Sanya runs down the hall past the kitchen. Asami cranes her neck, hoping to get a better view of where the girl went. 

She appears in the doorway with the blueprint and journal in hand. “I have never been to your kitchen. I got lost.” 

Lin tosses the girl a banana. The clattering metal stops. 

“Sanya found a blueprint of what I’m sure is the old factory they’ll be using as a base.” Asami unrolls the blueprint on the countertop. “It’s bigger than I thought it would be. They might be holding more troops or weapons.”

“Will this be a problem?”

Asami shakes her head no. “We can get in and out with disguises.”

“I’m always up for a good costume party.” Sanya says with a mouth full of fruit. 

“We can still mess things up pretty bad for them. There shouldn’t be anything to worry about.”

“I wish there were some way you could contact me if something went wrong.” Lin rubs her chin, emerald eyes scan the blueprint. 

“They should make portable telephones.” Sanya adds as she swallows the rest of her banana reaches for a steamed bun. 

Asami raises an eyebrow. 

“That will never catch on. Keep dreaming.” Lin says. She looks up and points to the journal. “And what’s this?”

“My mother’s journal.” She looks down at her hands. “You should take it. You might find something,”

“No.” Lin interjects. “That belongs to you now. I don’t need it for my search. Should you find anything useful, I’m sure you’ll tell me. But you keep that, okay? We’ll talk about it after we clear up today’s mess.” 

She nods. “Yes ma’am.”

“I better go. I left Li and Jet at the station.” She gets to her feet. “You two have a couple of hours to spare. Get some rest all right?” 

Asami nods as she leaves the counter, preparing to follow Lin out of the kitchen and to her car. 

“I can see myself out. I can lock everything. You two need to get some rest.” She points to her niece. “Especially you. I don’t know what will happen today and you’ve been through a lot. Rest up okay? And make sure you eat enough.” She ruffles the girl’s hair.

“Yes auntie.” Sanya says before taking another bite.

She points to Asami. “You too.”

She nods and watches the woman walk away. 

The girls say nothing. The sound of a door locking whispers from across the corridor. Asami exhales and slumps back into her seat. The sound ofrushing water and clanking silverware makes her turn her head. Sanya stands over the stove watching the kettle. She opens nearby cupboards to find a pair of matching mugs and an old box of tea. 

Asami rests her head in her arms. _Just get through today._ She thinks. Every possible scenario that might take place flashes in her head. She shuts her eyes and squeezes tight. A hand rubs her back, rubbing away all the anxieties assaulting her mind. 

The kettle begins to whistle. The hand leaves her back. 

Asami opens her eyes and exhales. “Just get through today.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

_I think I’ll name the baby after my sister if its a girl and after my great uncle if its a boy. I do miss them both terribly. In other news, guess what, journal? The doctor says I’ll be giving birth within the next few weeks. I wonder if my husband will be there when the baby comes. Hiroshi hasn’t been around much. Work he says. I wonder… We fought again. I keep thinking my love for him will be enough… Maybe I’m wrong. In other news, the factory didn’t pass inspection, shoddy walls I think they said it was. We don’t have the money to fix them and I think Hiroshi has done something unthinkable. Again. I do hope those accusations are wrong. Sprits please, do not let my child get involved._

_I’m sorry mom,_ Asami thinks. _I’m so sorry._

The sound of plastic clattering onto the wooden floor breaks her concentration. She looks up from the journal to find Sanya sitting at her vanity counter. Her reflection smiles at her.

“Sorry.” She says with a hair tie between her teeth. 

She shakes her head with a smile. Asami tosses the journal onto her bed and makes her way over. 

She watches Sanya fiddle with her hair. The girl struggles to get every last strand of white hair in place. She knows something is off about the water bender. It does not usually take her this long to do her hair. 

“May I?” She places her hands on Sanya’s shoulders. 

“Be my guest. It’ll be nice to have someone else do it.”

“Lin never did your hair?” She takes the brush and runs it through Sanya’s hair, its teeth glide through strands of silk. 

“She used to when I was younger. I still remember when Gran and Grumps brushed my hair too. Grumps taught me how to to the warrior’s wolf tail.” A sad smile spreads across her lips. “I kind of miss it.”

She watches her through the mirror. The girl keeps her gaze lowered. She knows Sanya was awake while she took a short nap shortly after Lin’s visit. 

“Are you okay?” 

The water bender looks up. Her reflection smiles at her. “Of course.” Her lips smile, but her eyes are troubled.

“Mind if I do something a little different with your hair today?” 

“Go for it.” 

She sweeps hair to the right side. “Aren’t you going to ask me what I’ve read in my mother’s journal?”

“Nope. You’ll tell me if you want to.” Her smile fades. “Right?”

Asami squeezes Sanya’s shoulder in reassurance. “I think she might have given us some help. The walls in the old factory aren’t very well made. Let’s hope nothing’s changed.” She takes a handful of white hair. 

“Thank you Mrs. Sato. You’re the best.”

“Her daughter doesn’t get any credit?” She teases as she begins to braid the girl’s hair. Her fingers work meticulously as they weave together hair close to the scalp.

Sanya sticks out her tongue. “Bad walls? Well, that sounds easy enough to take care of.” 

“Let’s hope so.” She continues to braid. “Hopefully not too many people will get hurt in the process. I have a feeling a lot of those people are just… Lost.” 

“I’m assuming we can’t just saunter in there like you own the place.”

“Sweetheart, technically I do own the place.” She laughs as she shakes her head no. “We’ll have to sneak in.” She leans forward to retrieve a small blue hair tie from the counter drawer. “As equalists.” She runs her fingers through Sanya’s hair. She has fallen in love with the way the girl’s silky strands caress her fingers. 

“You don’t happen to have any of their dashing outfits lying around do you?” 

With a toothy grin on her face, she shakes her head again. “We’ll have to borrow them.” She removes her hair clip and fastens it to the unbraided portion of the girl’s hair. 

“I like it.” Sanya stares at her through the mirror. “Mind if I return the favor?” 

The girls switch positions. 

“So, I’m assuming the plan is to hunt down a couple of equalists, knock them out, then take their clothes?” She begins brushing Asami’s hair. 

She chews over a thought. They do not have the luxury of time. “That would take too long. Is there a way to get them to come to us?” 

“Like using some sort of bait?” 

Asami watches Sanya brush her hair back in the mirror. The gears in her mind begin to turn. She rejects ideas before they can fully form. She thinks back to recent incidents with the equalists. Her back straightens. 

“We’ll use us.“

“Excuse me?” Sanya raises an eyebrow as she pulls back Asami’s hair. 

“I’m the boss’ daughter. You’re the Chief’s niece. They’ll want to to get their hands on us. We’ll go someplace where they usually hang out and cause a scene. Get them to follow us, take them out, take their clothes.” 

“Wow.” Sanya drops her hands.

She turns to face the water bender. “Something wrong?” 

She shakes her head. “I don’t know if I’m just stunned because you look so good right now or shocked because that plan sounds like it’ll get us in a lot of trouble if we’re caught.” 

She gets to her feet. “That’s funny coming from the girl who blew up a water tower so she could surf the streets of Ba Sing Se.” 

“That was one time.” The water bender tires to keep from laughing. “Okay maybe it was two times.” 

Asami turns to the the mirror. Like Sanya’s, her hair is parted to the side. Strands of wavy hair frame her face. A ponytail sits high on her head. “I do look good, thank you.” 

“No problem.” She gives her a thumbs up. “Are you ready? We have some equalists to bait.” 

Asami smiles. She grabs her metal cable top and puts it on over her shirt. Sanya makes her way into the bathroom to fill the tubes of her water bending jacket. She watches her as she stands in the doorway. A feeling of pride wells in her chest, but the storm cloud of anxiety quickly drowns it. Her eyes land on the bags beside the door. Her future, and the future of thousands of people ride on the events that will take place today. Events she planned herself. She sees the boomerang sticking out of her bag. A group of children younger than her managed to save the world, would she be able to save a city? _They had a family_ , she thinks. Her shoulders drop. A frown creeps onto her face. Her fingers fiddle with the bracelet on her wrist. It has been much too longsince she last felt its comfort. 

“Hello? Earth to Asami, anyone there?” Sanya stands before her, waving her hand to grab her attention. 

Asami straightens up. “Yeah, sorry. Let’s go?”

The water bender nods and walks past her. 

She snatches the boomerang before leaving her room. 

“I wonder how the rest of them are doing.” Sanya asks. 

Asami slings the boomerang over her shoulder. “Lin’s with them, I’m sure they’re doing fine.” 

“I wish I could hear her arguing with uncle.” 

“Were you around when they were dating?” 

She shakes her head. “Not really. I was too young to remember.” 

The pair walk down the stairs. 

“It’s a bit hard to imagine Lin dating anyone.” 

“I guess.” Sanya shrugs. “Maybe it’s because she’s married to justice.” 

They laugh as they walk toward the garage. 

For a moment, Asami forgets all her troubles. “They make such a beautiful couple.” 

“Don’t they? Let’s out do them.” Sanya winks. “Which car are we taking by the way?”

She scans each of the cars parked before her. A her lips curl into a sly grin. “That one.” She points to the bright red car furthest from the door. 

“Wow.” Sanya walks over to the car and runs a finger along its body.

“It’s closer to the ground than the rest of them.” Asami shuffles through the drawer of her work station. “It only seats two people, less weight to carry. It’s much faster than my other cars.” She pulls out a single key and makes her way to the car. “I’ve worked on it for years. I’ve only ever taken it out on the test track.” 

“Why?” Sanya hops into the passenger seat. 

The smirk on Asami’s face grows. “I may have outfitted this one with modifications that make it illegal to drive on the streets.” She slides into the driver’s seat.

Sanya’s mouth hangs open. 

Asami pats the girl’s chin, shutting her mouth. 

 

The girls sit in silence as they drive through the outskirts of the city. The roads and sidewalks are thinly populated today. A stray body shuffles into one of few open cafes. Most shops and restaurants have closed in honor of Avatar Day. Most of the citizens have migrated to the police station to partake in the festivities. The empty streets are too quiet for Asami’s liking. She switches on the radio. A man announces the day’s events with much fervor. 

Sanya shifts besides her. She watches the girl form the corner of her eye. The water bender rests her arm on the car door. She fiddles with the crescent moon pendent around her neck. 

“Hey, are you all right?” She taps Sanya’s arm. 

The girl smiles, but keeps her eyes forward. Her hands drops to her lap. “This is the second time you’ve asked me today. I should be asking you that.” 

“I’m fine. Absolutely fine. Just peachy.”

The water bender scoffs. “Asami.”

Her foot eases off the gas pedal. “I’m anxious. I have no idea what’ll happen today. How are you so relaxed about all this?” 

She bites her lip. Her eyebrows furrow before she drops her head. A sad smile grows on her face. “Grumps always told me to laugh at my problems. It makes them seem less scary. I guess all these years doing that, I’ve sort of found a way to make things like this less scary for me. Unless auntie is mad at me. No amount of laughter can make that less scary.”

Asami giggles. She can see the grin on Sanya’s face growing. The water bender has never failed to make her laugh. “Do you still think about them a lot? Your grandparents?” She focuses on the road. 

Sanya stretches. The bracelet of scars on her wrists peak out from her arm sleeves. “Not as much as I used to. But, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.” 

She reaches over to Sanya’s hand resting on the seat. She holds her breath. Her fingers run over the raised skin. “This happened when they…” She swallows her words. Images of her father’s deranged face flashes through her head. She wonders if today will be the last day she ever sees him. 

Festive music plays from the radio as though it mocks her anxiety. 

“It did.” Sanya takes her hand. 

“How do you deal with that?” Asami grips her steering wheel. “Having a reminder of losing them stamped into your skin?” 

“Spending time with Uncle ZuZu, I think helped a lot. He’s got a tiny little scar you see. It held him back for a long time. I think mine did too. He helped me get over that. But, I still hide them. Maybe I still need some work.” 

Asami gasps. Her eyes widen with shock. “Spirits, you got these because,” She tightens her grip on Sanya’s hand. 

“I did.”

“But last night you let me,” She nearly swerves off the road. 

Sanya laughs. “I did.”

“Why! I’m so sorry. You should’ve said something!” Her foot becomes heavy on the gas pedal.

“Because I trust you. I feel… What’s the word?” Sanya taps her nose with her finger. “I feel like everything that’s wrong in the world has been righted when I’m with you. Like,” She takes a deep breath. Her voice drops. “Like, I’ll be okay no matter what.” Her face burns a bright red. 

“Sanya.” Asami jams her foot onto the break pedal. Her chest swells with emotion. She does not care that they stopped in the middle of the road. She does not care that someone might see them. She does not care about what her father might be plotting. She certainly does not care for the ridiculous music coming from her radio. She flings herself across the space between them and throws her arms around the girl. 

“Hey now, you’re driving.” Sanya says into her ear. 

Asami pulls away. Her eyes are wet with tears, but they do not fall. Her lips grin. Sanya looks away. She does her best to keep from smiling. 

The car begins to move again. Slowly at first, then faster as the weight of a full heart lands on the gas pedal. She does not let go of Sanya’s hand. “That’s not something you usually say to someone who is only your friend-girl, is it?” 

The water bender groans. “It was one time and I panicked. I don’t even know what that means.” She covers her face with her free hand. 

Asami cannot help but giggle. “You know, Ikki asked me if you were my girlfriend.”

“What did you say?” Her words are muffled through her hand. 

“I said I didn’t know.” 

“I wish you said yes.” She murmurs, mostly to herself.

Asami kisses the back of Sanya’s hand. A cool breeze washes over them, as though the spirits of the city have given them their blessing. She cannot contain a grin as it spreads from ear to ear. For a moment, all is calm. She leans back in her seat and looks up at a cloudless sky. They sit in silence. A comfortable silence, for nothing needs to be said. She continues to drive at a leisurely speed as though she has forgotten all the needs to be done. The sun’s rays reflect off something behind them, blinding her. The music is broken by coughing fits of static. She lets go of Sanya’s hand to adjust her rear view mirror. She catches the back ends of two motorcycles turning a corner. Her grip on the steering wheel tightens. She clenches her jaw. 

“I need to tell you something.” Sanya says over the static. 

“It’ll have to wait. We have company.” 

“What?” The water bender twists around in her seat. “I don’t see anyone.” 

“Put your seat belt on.” Determined rage washes over Asami’s face. 

Her hand rests over the gear stick as her eyes scan the road. 

“So, I’m guessing we need a new plan?’

“We’ll figure something out. Just watch out for,” Her sentence is cut short. 

The car is hit from behind. The girls fall forward. Asami is quick to stabilize herself. The sound of growling engines fills her ears as two equalists on motorcycles appear in her rear view mirror.

She sees Sanya bending water out of her sleeves. “Save it. I can handle this one.” 

The water slips back into the plastic tubes. Asami shifts gears and jams her foot into the gas pedal. The car lurches forward. 

“I’m so tired of them.” Sanya says to herself.

“Take them down when I turn around.”

She urges the car forward. The motor snarls like an angry moose lion. A smirk spreads across her face. She knows the police will not be around to stop her.

The equalists shrink in her mirror. She stomps on the breaks and shifts gears. The tires screech as she turns the car completely around. Wasting no time, her foot falls on the gas. Her mechanical beast charges. The hunted becomes the hunter. 

She cannot see their faces behind their masks, but she senses their panic. They are inexperienced on these bikes. They take much too long to turn around. 

“Do you think they contacted the others?” Sanya hangs over the door of the car. 

“I hope not. The radio weirded out when they showed up, there’s a chance they tried.” 

Smoke flies out of the bikes’ exhaust pipes. Asami can see their desperation. Gloved hands are tight on the throttle. Stiff bodies lean forward, urging the bikes forward. A small laugh escapes her lips. All their efforts are in vain. Her mechanical beast catches up to the masked riders. 

Asami expects them to separate, but they do not. “Sanya, now!”

A water whip takes hold of the rider to the left. The body is hurled into a nearby building and kept in place by icy ropes. The remaining rider speeds up. The bike spurts out cloud of smoke from its exhaust pipe. Sanya covers her face, but Asami is not so easily phased. She shifts gears again. A heavy foot falls on the gas pedal. The car moves to the left of the bike. She breaks and jerks the steering wheel. An outsider might think the car was spinning out of control. Its back end swats the bike, sending its driver flying into the sidewalk. She drives to the sidewalk and parks. 

“Sanya.” She points to the body on the ground as she jumps of the car. 

Asami jogs to the masked figure against the wall. “Are you awake?”

The masked figure’s head lolls up and down.

“You shouldn’t be.” She hurls a fist into the figure’s masked face. 

The ice melts and zips past her. Sanya drags a second body and lays it down beside the first. 

“This feels so wrong.” The water bender says as she takes her place beside Asami. 

“If you’ve got another plan, now would be the time to tell me.”

“Turn into a giant woman and step on the equalist base.” 

She holds back her laughter. Asami closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “I don’t think it worked.”

“You tried.” Sanya pats her shoulder. She crouches beside the nearest body. “They’re tall and bigger than us. Finally, something works out for us.” 

Asami taps the water bender’s shoulder and points to a nearby alley. The small walkway is hidden beneath the shadows of two looming buildings. The perfect place to conceal their actions. She nods and takes hold of an equalist by the legs and trudges over to the alley. Asami follows, hauling the second by the arms. 

“Which one do you want?” Sanya grunts as she lets go of the body. 

“This one I guess.” She removes the mask and hood of the unconscious equalist and tosses them aside. 

The face of young man no older than her lies beneath the mask. His cropped black hair sticks to his scalp. A bruise below his eye begins to grow.She swallows her conscience and strips off his top. Luckily, the boy wears a short sleeved shirt underneath. She throws on the top, making sure it covers everything. 

“Pants too?” Sanya adjusts the brown top over her water bending jacket. 

“No, I think we’ll be fine. Use their pants to tie them up.” 

She obeys. 

Asami jogs to the street and pokes her head around the corner. Her car is parked parallel to the curb. A downed motorcycle lies in the street, while another lies on the sidewalk. She jogs to the bike on the sidewalk and sets it upright. She walks it back into the alley way and sets up against the wall. 

“I don’t think I can wear one of these masks.” Sanya fiddles with an equalist mask.

The two unconscious men rest against the wall. They are tied back to back with a ripped pair of black pants as their hands are bound by a pair of socks. Jagged letters spell out the word “sorry” on the brick wall. 

“I don’t think you have to. I’ll wear it. They know my face well.” She takes the mask from her. “Your eyes might be a problem though.” 

“What’s wrong with my eyes?”

“No one can forget those eyes.” She grabs Sanya’s wrist and drags her back to the car. Asami opens the glove compartment and retrieves a pair of tinted goggles. “Do you happen to know how to drive a motorcycle?” She places the goggles on Sanya’s face.

“I don’t even know how to drive a car.” 

Asami nods as she adjusts the goggles on the girl’s face. She motions for her to turn around.  

The water bender obeys. 

She rips the hood from the equalist top. “Your hair is definitely a problem.”

“Sorry.” 

“Don’t be. I love your hair.” She turns the hood into a head wrap, making sure every strand of white hair is concealed. 

“Do we have a plan for what to do when we get there?” The water bender asks. 

“Nope.” Asami pulls on the mask. She smiles. “It’s weird to hear you worrying about plans all of a sudden.” 

“Grumps was sucker for planning. Don’t think I caught that bug, but it would come in handy now don’t you think?” 

“What would he do if he were here now?” 

The girls walk over to the motorcycle still lying in the center of the road. 

“Tell a bad joke while Gran handled it.” 

Asami sets the bike upright and takes her seat. “No bad joke?” 

“This motorcycle was just lying on the ground just now. It can’t stand on its own because its,” She pauses. A sly grin spreads across her face. “Two-tired.”

Asami covers her face with her hands. The more she tries suppress her giggles, the harder her shoulders shudder with laughter. 

Sanya nestles into the seat behind her. “It takes years to perfect this type of bad joke telling you know.” 

She settles down, but cannot contain a grin. Even now, as they prepare to infiltrate an enemy base, the water bender has made her laugh. 

She checks the bike for any damage. Not much harm was done by her little stunt. She starts the bike and drives off. Sanya’s arms wrap themselves around her waist. She feels oddly at ease on this motorcycle. The open streets become her playground. 

She speeds up. The arms around her waist tighten their grip. 

“Are you okay back there?” She yells over the roaring engine. 

Sanya replies with a thumbs up. 

A smirk grows on her face. She leans forward and puts more pressure on the throttle. The bikes zooms past bystanders on the sidewalks and zips along empty streets. Six months ago Asami never would have dared ride at this speed without a helmet, but something in her gut tells her she can do so today. 

The outline of worn down buildings grows in the horizon. 

They enter a ghost town. Abandoned buildings tower over them. The paint on their rough hides has peeled, reveling their concrete muscles. Holes in walls and windows allow sunlight to shine onto their iron bones. Water drips from broken pipes and rain gutters like tears from lifeless eyes. 

Asami slows as she turns the corner. She knows the old Future Industries factory waits for them at the end of the street. The factory’s sign is still intact, lifeless, but intact. The company’s signature gear lies below it’s name. She takes a deep breath. Her heart pounds at the sight of two masked figures standing at the gate. 

The bike screeches to a stop. Asami plants both feet on the pavement and walks the bike back around the corner. 

“I’m assuming we have a problem?” Sanya asks.

“Guards at the gate. How do you want to go about this?” She parks the motorcycle and dismounts. “I think they’re armed.” She walks to the corner and pokes her head around. “Please don’t suggest anything with explosions.”

“Well, that rules out all my suggestions.” Sanya comes up behind her. “Do we need to take them out? Can we just sneak past them? Like we did that one time at your other factory.”

“We can.” She pulls the water bender into the street. “Follow my lead.” She releases her hand.

“Yes ma’am.” Hints of sarcasm are woven her words. 

Asami thinks to give the girl a disapproving look, but her efforts would be in vain. Though, this is not to say she is not thankful for the mask covering her face. 

She waves at the guards. A sigh of relief condenses on her mask as they wave back. 

“So far, so good.” Sanya whispers behind her. 

The wind sweeps up her words and throws them into a flurry of dust and rubbish. 

Asami keeps her pace steady. Her mind generates a countless number of things she could say. Soon, the worst possible scenarios crowd her mind. 

“Were you two out on foot?” The guard to the right asks. His voice is muffled through his mask. 

“We were on bikes.” Asami does her best to make her voice as deep as possible. “But this dunderhead forgot to fill up the tank.” She throws a thumb over her shoulder.

Sanya walks to her side and laughs. “Well, if someone didn’t spend all ‘er time flirtin’ with the rice cake girl maybe we wouldn’t ‘ave been in such a ‘urry.” She hides her identity behind an accent. 

“What are you doing back here?” The guard on the left asks. Her voice is naturally low, exactly what Asami is trying to imitate. 

Sanya’s mouth hangs open.

“The boss called us back. Needed us for something, didn’t say what.”

“You hear anything about this?” The man asks his partner.

She shakes her head no. “Didn’t even know the boss was here.”

Panic begins to rise in Asami’s chest. She clenches her fists and digs her heels into the ground. 

“Y’all been out ‘ere fer a while, no? No radio an’ all. Couldn’t ‘ave ‘eard ‘bout it.” Sanya chimes in. 

The guards exchange a glance. They shrug. The woman unlocks the gate and allows them to pass. 

“See ya.” Sanya waves as she walks through the gate.

“Thanks.” Asami adds. 

The gate creaks to a close behind them. Gravel crunches under Asami’s boot. They have entered an automotive graveyard. Skeletons of old trucks and cars litter the lot before the factory’s entrance. Deep inhales and exhales keep Asami from drowning in the storm of anxiety in her mind. 

“Dunderhead huh?” Sanya chimes in. The girl wears an innocent smile on her face. 

“Sorry about that.” 

“Sure you are.” Sanya winks as she walks past Asami. “Do you think that door is locked?” She points to the door. 

She hears a faint creaking. The door is opening. Sanya does not react, she does not hear it. Asami rushes toward the girl. She grabs her hand and pulls her down behind the frame of what was once a van. Sanya’s body falls beside her. She clamps her hand around her mouth. 

A masked figure walks out of the door, leaving it ajar. The figure removes the equalist mask to reveal the face of older man. He takes a cigar and a lighter from his jacket pocket and begins to smoke. 

“He left the door open.” Asami says to herself. She chews on her lip, mulling over her thoughts. She shuts her eyes and grunts. 

Her hand clutches a handful of gravel and rocks. She tosses them across the way. She scampers to her feet and begins to run the opposite direction. Sanya is already several steps ahead of her. The girls hide behind the shell of a delivery truck. 

The man at the door turns toward the sound of pebbles clattering against metal. He walks toward the sound, a hand on his baton. The girls rush toward the door and slip in through the opening. 

A dark corridor greets them. The sound of machinery exerting itself and the clamor of people echoes down the hall. A light shines at the end of the corridor. Shadows walk to and fro. Asami’s steps are careful, but in no manner is she sneaking about. She takes small steps forward, unsure of what she will find once she reaches that light at the end of the corridor. The factory’s breath, its heart beat all muddle in her ears. Her eyes are only focused on the end of the corridor. She ignores the doors she walks by. She ignores the smaller hallways that branch out from the main corridor. She ignores the body that walks beside her. Like the radio in her car, her mind is full of static. 

Asami is pulled out of her thoughts by strong arms. Sanya pulls her into one of the smaller hallways. With the lightest touch, she pushes Asami against the wall. She shakes the static from her head and looks up at the girl. She has a finger to her lips, asking for silence. Creaking of the door and the latching of the lock reach their ears. Foot falls join the chorus of man and machine. 

Sanya leans on the wall beside her, her hand hovers above Asami’s stomach. Her eyes are glued on the water bender. Half her face is hidden in shadow, the other half illuminated by a stray ray of sunlight. Determined blue eyes stare at the wall. Waiting. A tang of guilt hits Asami. This girl followed her into this darkness. 

The man from outside walks right by them. His foot steps fade. 

“What do we do when we get in there?” Sanya whispers. She pushes herself off the wall and stands before her. 

“We have to take out their radio first. Then, we take out whatever transportation they’re using. Mechs, cars, motorcycles. Everything.”

Sanya’s hand runs down the wall beside Asami. “Bad walls right?”

“Right. We get in then get out. Shouldn’t be too much of a problem.” 

Sanya nods. Her chest rises and falls much too heavily for Asami’s liking. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” 

The water bender gives her a thumbs up. “As okay as I can be sneaking around an enemy base.” Her smile, as fake as it may be, is comforting. 

Asami puts her hand on Sanya’s stomach and grabs her top. Her fingers idly fiddle with the stitching on the shirt as her minds runs through a million different scenarios. They managed to get this far, there can be no mistakes on her part. “I think we’ll be okay if we just stay in disguise. Find the radio and-“

“Hey!” A man calls out. 

The girls stiffen, the shock straightens their backs. 

A figures comes from the far side of the smaller corridor. “Stop bumming around you two. We got work to do!” He walks past them and motions for them to follow. 

They shrug at each other and obey. 

“All righty kids, as you all know it’s a big day. So, those of us left here have a lot of prep work to do. What are your assignments?” He asks without looking back.

Sanya elbows Asami’s arm. She looks up to see the girl shrugging. 

She shakes her head. “We just transferred here actually. From Ba Sing Se. We haven’t been assigned to do anything.”

“Oh, really?” He continues to walk.

Sanya’s face twists in confusion. “Transferred?” She mouths. 

Asami shrugs and lightly hits the water bender’s arm with the back of her hand. 

“Come to think of it,” He stops just before the end of the corridor. 

Asami looks past him, men in women in equalist uniforms move boxes and chat with cups of steaming liquid. 

“I don’t think I’ve seen you two here before. What are your names?”

She jams her elbow into Sanya’s side. 

The water bender points to herself. “Wang Fire.” She points to Asami. “My cousin, Yang Fire.” Her accent returns. 

The man nods. “Call me Rin.”

She slaps Sanya’s arm. Half of her wants to laugh despite current circumstances. 

The girls fall back a few steps. 

“Wang and Yang Fire? Really?” Asami whispers. 

“I couldn’t think of anything!”

“Are we related to Sapphire Fire then?” She tries to contain her nervous laughter.

“What are you two mumbling about back there?”

“We’re just so excited to be here sir.” Asami replies much too quickly. 

“Great. Welcome to base camp then.” He walks into the main room.

All the production machinery has been removed from the main room. Asami marvels at the rows of mechs and cars. Four rows of five each. Though it is much smaller than her current factory, the main show room is large enough to store the vehicles and still have enough room for them to use this as a common room. High ceilings allow stray patches of sunlight to come through, adding to the soft light of four rows of old yellow lamps. The pillars supporting the second floor are worn and damaged, as are the walls around them. She knows exactly what to target to bring the entire factory down. 

“Let me give you the grand tour. This is the main room. We keep the cars and those things here. Feel free to hang out on your time off or take a nap in one of the old offices.” Rin takes two paper cups from a woman passing by holding a tray of cups. She grunts in annoyance but continues to walk. He hands each girl a cup. 

“Thanks.” They reply in unison. 

Asami stares at the clear yellow liquid, thankful that her water bender has more ammunition. 

“Tea’s not that great, but I guess it’ll do.” He takes a sip and leads the girls to the left, through a crowd of equalists. 

Asami spots large containers stacked high near the closest wall. They are well stocked when it comes to supplies, but a nagging feeling in her gut tells her she should be worried about those containers. 

Rin continues to talk as he leads them to a blue door on the far side of the room. Rust has eaten away most of the door and its paint, but it still stands. 

“I don’t know how we’ll be able to take on all of them.” Sanya whispers. “We’d make Aunt Toph proud if we did.”

“I am really hoping we won’t have to.” Asami’s voice cracks. The thought having to fight all these people feeds her anxiety. 

“But I told them it wouldn’t work. Anyway, this is the hanger.” Asami hears their guide say. He slides the door open to reveal an attached air hanger. 

The girls follow him into the hanger. 

“We’ve got a dozen of them. Doesn’t sound like much compared to what we had, but it’s better than nothing I guess.” He continues to walk.

Asami squeezes her cup. Warm tea spills onto her hands and top. “I forgot about planes.” She mutters mostly to herself. Her eyes scan the dozen planes. All the models carry the Future Industries seal. If these planes leave this hanger to fulfill the ill intentions of these people, her company will be ruined. Rage replaces anxiety as she fusses over the planes. “Sanya, I didn’t think about them having planes when I told everyone my plan.”

“The thought must’ve flown over your head.” Sanya covers her face. 

Asami punches the girl’s arm. “Really? Can you drop the jokes for five minutes please!” She says as loudly as possibly while still keeping her voice a whisper. 

“Sorry.” 

“Hey you two!” Their guide calls out out to them. “Something wrong?”

“This one’s a klutz. Spilled my tea all over me.” She shoots Sanya an angry glare the girl cannot see. 

The girl fakes a smile and shrugs at the guide. “Can’t ‘elp it sometimes.”

“Do you want to change?” He asks Asami. 

She furiously shakes her head no. “It’ll dry.”

“All right. I guess I’ll show you upstairs then. Follow me kiddos.” He walks back toward the way they came in. 

The girls follow. 

“What’ll we do about the planes?” Sanya asks. 

Thoughts run a million miles an hour in Asami’s head. “Just focus on the radio for now.”

Sanya nods. 

They follow him to a flight of stairs near the hanger entrance. Its steps creak as though it wishes to warn their feet of impending danger. Asami looks down the railing once they’ve reached the top.The back door is open. A sigh of relief passes through her lips as she sees an empty lot. 

“Just a bunch of empty offices up here really. Comm room is here too. Wanna see?”

The girls nod, feigning as much excitement as their tired bodies will allow. 

“First time I’ve ever seen people so excited to see a radio.” 

“This one’s really into fixin’ things and all that mechanical hoo haa.” Sanya points to Asami. 

Rin shrugs and waves them over to the closest door. 

Its hinges shriek, as though opening it caused it pain. The room is lit by one dim bulb hanging from the ceiling. A figure hunches over an older radio unit. The paint on it has started to chip. Cracks in on the shell’s body expose its wiring. 

“This is Yim, our radio girl. Hey, say hi to the new kids.” 

The figure at the desk turns to face them and raises a hand. A young woman, no older than Asami, greets them with a meek smile. Even in the dim lighting her hair is a vibrant shade of brown, like ripe chestnut berries. Her eyes are hidden behind large, thick framed glasses. 

“Hello.” Her voice is mere sigh. 

“That’s a fine lookin’ machine you got there.” Sanya takes a step forward. “We’re quite fond of’em you see.” She turns and raises an eyebrow at Asami. 

She takes the hint. “So, Rin, how long have you been working for the boss?” 

Rin turns to face her, a light in his eyes in ignited by the question. “Well, since the beginning really…” He continues to talk. 

Asami looks past him to see Yim out of her seat, a large grin is spread across her face as she explains how the radio works. Guilt rises in her. He girl is so happy to be working with something she is so passionate about. 

Sanya places her cup on the table, inches away from the machine. 

“So, you know, I just really think it isn’t fair.” 

Asami snaps her attention back to the man speaking to her. “Right, right. I get that.” She takes a deep breath.”How’s the boss doing today?” 

Rin shrugs. “Haven’t seen him all day.”

“What do you think of him?” 

“Well, he’s a bit tough on us these days. Had it rough I think. I don’t know the whole story though…” 

The shift in her eyes is slight. She watches Sanya point over to a second headset. Yim jumps with glee and goes to retrieve them. The water bender leans forward. Her hand tips over the cup of tea. Slivers of liquid find themselves slipping into the cracks while the rest forms a puddle at the base of the machine. The corners of Asami’s mouth twitch into a tiny grin. 

“Oh monkey feathers! I am so sorry!” Sanya apologizes. 

Sparks fly from the radio. Yim shrieks in horror. Rin turns to face all the fuss. Asami exhales, her breath only adds to the wetness behind the mask. 

“You really are a klutz.” Rin laughs. 

“How can you laugh at a time like this! Look at it!” Yim’s voice tears through the room. 

“I am so sorry.” Sanya tries to wipe up the mess with her shirt. 

“We have another one in the downstairs storage room.” He turns to Asami. “Needs a bit of fixing up I think, I don’t know. I’m not good with these things, but you are right?” 

“Yes sir.” Asami stands straight up. 

“Yim, take Yang down to storage three, I think it was. There’s an extra radio down there. And you,” He points to the water bender. “I’ll get you on truck prep. No one will care if you spill a bit of water on one of the cars.”

“I’d hope not.” A sly grin spreads across Sanya’s face.

“All right. Follow me Wang, we’ll get you working.” Rin declares. 

Sanya adjusts her goggles and follows him out of the room. Asami can see her staring.

She wants to tell her that she will take care of it. She holds up a hand, hoping her message gets through. 

“Let’s go.” Yim shuffles past her. 

She nods and follows the girl out the room and down the stairs. She spots Sanya standing over a crate near a car. One of her cars. A shiver runs down her spine. Machines she helped create will now be used to hurt. She exhales and focuses on the girl walking in front of her. 

“So, how long have you been with these guys?” She asks as the walk into a corridor.

“A few months.”

“Oh. Why’d you decide to join them? You seem pretty young.”

“Benders killed my father. I didn’t know what else to do.” Her voice cracks. 

“I’m so sorry.” Asami’s hand land’s on the girl’s shoulder. 

Yim shrugs it off. “I don’t need your pity.” She walks faster. 

“I didn’t mean to… I understand. Fire benders killed my mother.” 

They walk in silence. Asami watches the girl’s shoulders hunch over. She knows the gesture well enough to know not to pry any further. Her heart drops for the girl. She wonders if she alone can make a difference for these people. Her boot kicks a small piece of rubble into a puddle near several buckets of water. She smiles to herself, behind her mask. Perhaps, she is not as alone as she believes herself to be. 

“What are the buckets for?” Asami can’t help but ask. 

“They’re supposed to be for the mechs, but I guess someone is slacking off.” Yim answers as she continues down the corridor. 

She takes note and follows the girl to a door on their left. The room is lit by the same dim lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. Unmarked boxes, tools, and various articles of clothing litter the floor. Two shelving units reach the ceiling on either side of them, both filled to the top with various mechanical parts and tools. A radio unit, older than one upstairs, takes up most of the far wall. 

“I’ll take a look at it.” Asami takes a flashlight from the floor and walks to the radio. 

“Wouldn’t it be easier if you tok off your mask?” Yim crosses her arms. 

“I want to get used to wearing it. It’s not that bad.” Asami lies. She wonders how anyone can keep one of these things on for so long. 

“Fine. I’ll get you some tools.”

Asami turns on the flashlight and focuses her attention to the back of the unit. The screws are large and show signs of rust. She searches the floor for a screwdriver. Her eyes keep track of Yim’s movements. She unscrews the back panel and allows it to fall. Yim turns her back to Asami and takes small steps backwards, her eyes scan on the tops of the shelving units. She kicks a shard of concrete toward Yim’s feet. As expected, the girl trips. She shrieks as she hits the ground. Her glasses fly off her face and bounce off an old spare engine before landing on the floor near Asami’s foot. Yim still lies face up on the ground. Without missing a beat, Asami puts her foot on the glasses. She coughs, covering up the sound of cracking glass. She kicks them away. They slide to the other side of the room. 

“Oh spirits. Are you all right?” Asami asks. 

“Fine.” Yim gets to her knees, her hands pat the ground nearby. “Just fix the radio already.”

The flashlight exposes the radio’s wiry veins. She does not understand what needs to be fixed, as all the wires are in good condition, going exactly where they should go. She removes her equalist glove and takes a pair of small pliers from the shelf behind her. Her eyes dart up to find Yim still searching for her glasses. She is close to finding them. 

Asami cuts three wires. Her nimble fingers work quickly to connect ends that should never be connected, lest one wishes for an accident. She finishes up and screws the back panel onto the radio. 

“All done.” She exclaims as she puts her glove on. “Should be good to go.” She gets to her feet. 

Yim stands near the door mourning over her broken glasses. She mumbles something Asami cannot hear. She takes hold of the radio and waits for Asami to take the other side. They carry it out to the corridor. Voices and footfalls float down the hall. She wonders what all the ruckus is about. A body runs toward them, trying to pass through. 

“What’s your deal?” The girl asks.

“I have to get to the interrogation room.”

“Why?” 

Panic begins to jumble her thoughts. 

“Caught a water bender near the back door.” He zips past them. 

Yim shrugs. Not one bit of concern shows on her face. 

Panic washes over Asami. Her arms begin to shake. She cannot leave Yim and the radio. She cannot risk exposing herself now. Her chest is heavy with worry. She is silent as the girl speaks, but she cannot hear a word she is saying. The static in her mind and panic in her chest are much too loud. 

They enter the main room. Bodies scramble to and fro. She hears people mumbling about the boss. 

The heaviness in her chest grows. 

She grunts and lifts the radio higher. “I’ve got to go to the bathroom. Can we pick up the pace a bit?” 

Yim scoffs, but obeys. They shuffle back to the communications room. Once the radio hits the table, Asami jogs out of the room and down the stairs. A huddle of equalists stand around a smoking car while another group stares at a mech shooting sparks from its metal body. She runs back to the corridor from which she came and picks up a bucket of water. She waddles down the hall with her bucket. Asami stops and closes her eyes. She hears her own breathing. Metal sliding against metal. Muffled talking and indistinct screaming. Wood against concrete. She turns her head to the left. The slap of flesh against flesh. A strained groan. A groan of which she is quite familiar. She walks down the hall and opens a door on her left. 

Four masked equalists stand over a figure tied to a wooden chair. Rage fills Asami as she sees Sanya’s water bending top torn to shreds. A curtain of black hair obscures the figure’s face. A braid of white hair stands out amongst the black. 

“Hey, what are you doing?” One of them shouts. 

“Inviting myself to the party.” Asami responds. She takes her bucket and tosses its contents.

“What are you doing! She’s a water bender!” 

Asami removes her mask, revealing a grin. “I know.” 

Sanya whips her head up. Daggers of ice slide off her hair and pin an equalist to the wall. Asami head butts the nearest body. Once it falls, she sends her foot into the next moving body she encounters. It falls. She takes two steps, on the third she launches herself off the ground and traps the incoming foes head between her thighs. She drops her body and twists her hips. The person behind the mask grunts as their body hits the ground. Asami knocks her attacker unconscious with a fist to the head. 

She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and saunters over to the figure stuck to the wall. 

“You… You’re the boss’,” A male voice mumbles.

“I am.” Asami punctuates her response with a blow to the man’s head. 

“I’m sorry.” Sanya says behind her.

She turns and moves now dry hair out of Sanya’s face. The girl’s lip is cut and bleeding. A bruise grows on the right side of her jaw. Blood drips from her nose and stains her top. 

“Are you all right? What happened?” She asks as she walks to the other side of the chair. She begins untying the rope around her hands. Sanya’s hands are shaking. 

“I… I took out a few cars and one of those mech things. I’m sorry. Did I do okay?” She falls to her knees as soon as the ropes are undone. Sanya pulls her knees to her chin. Her fingers scratch the fabric of her arm sleeves. She wrings her wrists, as though she were trying to wring away long forgotten pain that has resurfaced. Eyes shut tight keep tears from falling. 

Asami gets on her knees and takes the girl’s face in her hands. “You did wonderfully. Look at me please?” 

Sanya opens her eyes. The young woman she knows is gone, replaced by a scared little girl reliving a traumatic memory. Torment clouds the wet blue eyes staring at her. 

“I’m sorry sweetheart. I’m so, so sorry they did this too you. I’m sorry I took so long. But I’m here now and I need you. Can you come back to me please?” She wipes blood from the girl’s face.

Sanya nods. The tears fall from her eyes. She takes several deep breaths. Asami can feel the girl relaxing. The torment has gone from her eyes, replaced by fatigue. 

“Thank you.” She kisses Sanya’s forehead. 

The water bender nods. She stares at her water bending jacket. Her jaw clenches before pure rage momentarily fills her eyes. 

The girls get to their feet. 

“How did they catch you?” Asami asks as they make their way out the room. 

“Wind blew my head thing off. What luck.” She shakes her head. “What do we do now?” 

Asami pauses in the doorway. “No use in trying to stay disguised. I took care of the radio. We need to take out those planes.” She sheds her top and removes her equalist glove. 

“How are we even going to get there?” 

“We’ll figure it out as we go along.” She stares at her glove before stuffing it in her back pocket. “Are you all,” She turns her head to the right. Faint footsteps grow in the distance. Three pairs head to their location. 

“Asami?” 

She raises a finger to silence the girl. “We’ll have company very soon.” She turns to Sanya. 

 Something indistinguishable in her eyes worries Asami. She puts the thought behind her. 

“What should we do?” 

“Greet our guests.” Sanya’s voice becomes low. It sends a shiver down Asami’s spine. 

She is not afraid. Rather, her mind recalls moments in the past when her voice drops this low.

“Where did you get that bucket of water?” She walks to the doorway, moving hair out of her face. 

“Down the hall.”  

“And where will our guests be coming from?” 

Asami closes her eyes and waits. The footsteps have become louder. She can almost see their boots hitting the ground. “Opposite end.”

Sanya darts down the hall. 

She waits. The thought that she might run into her father makes her tense. Their last meeting replays in her mind. No longer is she paralyzed by fear and anxiety. Rage courses through her veins causing her muscles to tense. 

Three male voices reach her ears. She grabs the boomerang and steps into the hall, ready to meet her guests. Three masked equalists slide into the corridor, buzzing batons in each of their hands. 

“Hello boys.” Asami greets them with a smile. 

They charge. She strikes the first on the head with the boomerang. The second and third lunge over their fallen comrade. Her foot connects with a soft stomach while her elbow cracks a jaw. The first attacker gets to his feet and charges again. A second decides to join the dance. Asami pauses. The sound of sloshing water reaches her ears. She waits while dodging her foe’s electric batons. These people have been instructed to kill, not stun. 

The sloshing comes closer, but is much softer than she anticipated. She ducks. A staff of ice knocks two of the men onto the ground. The force of the icy staff was enough to knock them unconscious. The last sits on against the wall clutching his stomach and moaning in pain. 

“Are you all right?” Sanya emerges from the darkness.

Asami nods as she sheaths the boomerang. Her eyes glued to the man on the ground. His voice sounds familiar. 

Sanya makes her way to the fallen equalist and raises a fist. 

“Sato, wait.” The voice croaks. 

She puts a hand on the water bender’s shoulder. It is enough to stop her. 

The equalist removes his mask. Wavy black hair tumbles onto a pale face. 

“Tahno?” Asami rushes to his side.

“You know him?” A hint of worry in her voice. 

“Sort of. He was pro bender.” 

Sanya nods with understanding. 

“What are you doing here?” Asami crouches beside him. “Bolin said you guys were friends now, what happened?”

Tahno coughs. “Isn’t it obvious?” Blood drips from his lip. “After I lost my bending I had no where else to go. They gave me a place to stay and food.” He throws his head against the wall. “Then, they told me they’d give me more to spy on the avatar and her friends.” The muscles in his face tense as though he were holding back a flood of tears. 

“That’s probably how they tracked you down in Ba Sing Se.” Sanya chimes in.

“I don’t want to hurt them. I never meant to hurt anybody.”

Asami nods. The anger in her veins is diffused by the boys stifled sobs. “I just never expected… You were a bender after all.” 

“Then, I wasn’t.” His voice is flat. 

“But your family and friends?” 

He shakes his head. “Lost them when I lost my bending.” His voice cracks. “Was that all I was?”

Her heart drops. _Was he really tossed aside by his friends and family because he lost his bending?_ She thinks. She can find no words to comfort the boy. Asami shakes her head no. 

“Funny running into you here though.” He laughs, but tears fall from his eyes.

“Yeah.” She does her best to smile. “Tahno, can you tell me what the boss’ plan is?”

He shakes his head. A groan escapes him as the exertion of the act causes more blood to drip from his mouth. “I’m not high up enough to know the plan. I just follow orders.” 

“Okay. Can you walk?”

He nods. He grits his teeth and slides up the wall still clutching his stomach. “You pack quite a punch there, Sato.” He jokes. 

“Sorry.” Asami shrugs. “I suggest you get out of here.” 

A sound from the far end of the hall catches her attention. She turns to Sanya. The girl nods before jogging toward the noise. 

“You and your friend,”

“Girlfriend.” She corrects him. She is thankful for the low lighting in the hall, it hides her reddened face. 

“Finally ditched that fire bending jerk huh? I can respect that.” He coughs and struggles to find his breath. “Planning something?” He exhales before standing straight up.

She nods once. “I suggest you leave while you can.”

“Showing mercy on me? After I attacked you?”

“You’re right. I think you should earn that mercy. Care to help us out? I know you don’t want to be responsible for the death of an innocent person today.”

Tahno swallows. “I’ve,” He begins, but cannot finish.

She waits and watches. His hair has grown long and unruly. Dark circles have formed under his eyes. His face is gaunt and pale, much paler than before. He refuses to meet her gaze.

“I’ve already… Killed people. They made me.” His voice cracks. He wipes away tears Asami cannot see. 

“I understand.” Her voice is steady and strong. “Help us. We’ll make sure no one else has to die.”

Another tear falls from his eyes. “What do you want?”

Asami does not know if it is the pain of her fist or the sting of guilt that causes the boy to cry. “A diversion.”

Sanya jogs back to Asami. “They’re on the move, I think. Lot’s of shuffling around.”

“We’re running out of time. We have to do this now.” Asami turns to Tahno. “What do you wanna do?”

He throws his chin at the water bender. “You trust me?”

“No. But she does. Betray her trust and I break your legs.” 

“Sanya.”

The water bender shrugs. 

“What do you want me to do?”

Asami chews on her lip. Mulling over the options in her head. “Those crates, by the hanger door, what’s in them?”

“Mostly supplies. Food. Bandages. Water.”

She is glad she no longer has to worry about the crates. Though she has her back turned to her, she knows Sanya’s interest is peaked. 

“Make a mess. Make them turn all their attention on you. Break those creates and give us as much water as you can.”

“There’s a lot of them.” He says. 

“That’s fine, we can handle a few who aren’t focused on you.”

Tahno nods. 

“The hanger. If you can get in there, mess with the planes a bit.”

“I don’t know anything about planes or machines.”

Asami smiles. “Perfect, it’ll be easier for you to mess it up.”

“Okay. Go, we’ll follow once you’ve started. Are you sure you’re okay to do this?”

He does not answer as he walks away. 

The girls watch him shuffle down the corridor. He stops. “I was pretty horrible back then, wasn’t I?” He scoffs. “How could you know? We never really talked. I said so many horrible things about you behind your back, Sato. I thought you were… Below me.” He turns his head. 

“Because I can’t bend?”

His lips form a weak smile. “Because you can’t bend.” His jaw tightens. “Sorry.” He walks away still clutching his stomach. 

The girls watch him disappear into the adjoining corridor. 

Asami’s thoughts run wild. She begins to pace. Her father could be in any one of this factory’s old rooms. She and Sanya have not done enough damage.

She covers her face with her hands. Fatigue wraps its poisonous arms around her. “I can’t do this what am I doing?” She mutters to herself. 

Cold fingers peel her hands away from her face. Tired blue eyes greet her. “You can do this. We can do this.” 

She shakes her head. She can feel a storm gathering within her. Waves of doubt nearly drown her. “He’s smarter than me.” She keeps her voice hushed. “He has always been and always will be smarter than me. He’s always one step ahead of us. How could I possibly plan for that? Sanya, so many people,”

“Are going to be so grateful to have you in their lives because you stopped this.” 

“I don’t know what to do.” She lowers her voice hoping the girl cannot hear how it cracks. 

“Wait for your friend to do what you told him to do, then we make a mess. Together. Okay?”

Asami watches Sanya’s eyes strain in the darkness, searching her face for reassurance. Blood has dried on the corner of her lip. Strands of silvery hair have come loose from her braid. The bruise on her jaw has blossomed. Trails of dirt run down her face, she wonders when Sanya shed the tears that made those marks. How could she say things these after what they did to her? Why is she still here with her? 

A soft boom echoes down the hall.

“Asami, you can do this. I don’t care how many times I have to remind you. I’ll say it a million times today if I have to.”

She takes a deep breath before she nods. The water bender stops the waves of doubt from consuming her. 

Another crash followed by a man yelling comes from the main room. 

She takes a deep breath and begins to walk toward the ruckus. A hand on her arm stops her. 

“Hey, you’re Asami flaming Sato. If anyone can pull this off you can. Auntie believes in you. Aunt Toph believes in you. Even Jet believes in you. And I’ve got my whole heart on you.” A faint smile moves across her lips. “Let’s go make a mess.” 

She exhales, her anxieties escaping her body in that one breath. 

The girls jog down the hall. 

“Go straight for the trucks. I’ll try to get to the hanger.” Asami instructs. 

“And the big suckers?” 

She groans. “We’ll figure something out.” 

The girls reach the entrance to the main room. The floor is slick with water. 

Tahno howls and throws a glass bottle on the floor. Blue flames ignite from the bottle. Two men try to subdue him. 

“The planes! Make sure they’re okay! Someone take care of this nut!” A woman shouts. 

Asami catches his gaze. 

He snickers. The sound of a man who realizes this might be his last laugh rings in her ears. “Not today you jerks!”

“Sanya!”

The girl obeys. She jumps over the threshold and extends her hands. A path of ice forms before her as she slides toward the trucks. Asami runs after her. Masked bodies to her right are stiff with confusion. The rest run frantically toward one another. The equalists holding back Tahno stare at each other looking for answers. 

“What you doing!” A familiar voices shouts from the second floor. “Stop them!”

A wall of equalists appears before Asami. Gloves and batons buzz to life. 

She releases her metal serpents. “Sanya! You okay over there?”

Water splashes behind her. “I’m trying to be!” She grunts. 

The men holding Tahno drop him and unsheathe their batons. Asami takes a step back. The planes can wait. She refuses to leave Sanya alone with so many hostile bodies surround her. She will not allow anymore harm to come to her. She tosses a cable towards the nearest body and sends an equalist flying into three of their comrades. She drops to the floor, dodging a baton aimed at her head. She rolls forward and sweeps her leg in a crescent before her. A body drops, the man behind the mask grunts. She does not give him the opportunity to get up as he slams a fist into his masked face. 

Asami stays on the floor. Her cables snake their way around the legs of three oncoming foes. She thanks Lin in her head. Her countless hours of training have made handling her cables much easier. The sound of skulls shattering on hard concrete is eerily satisfying. 

She turns around to find walls of ice jumping up from the floor. Two form. One melts. Two melt. Three form. Sanya is bottlenecking her oncoming foes. 

More equalists rush into the room from the side opposite the hanger. 

“Make them pay, Sato.” Tahno’s punch drunk voice calls out to her. 

“Get out of here now!” She screams at him. 

“Use the back door to leave!” He hobbles out of view as his voice fades.

She runs toward the the small army of equalists charging toward her. She clutches her cables and prepares to attack. A wall of slush slams into the group. Half the bodies are smashed against a wall, while the other half is hurled into the corridor. 

More foes flood into the main room from the second floor, the hanger, and various corridors. 

“What’s going on here! A guy can’t take a nap without something going wrong!” A familiar voice yells. 

The equalists freeze. Rin walks to the ledge on the second floor. He stretches and looks down. Asami stands with her back to him. Sanya stands at her side, holding her water at their feet. Asami’s eyes briefly scan the damage done. One large mech is has been tipped over. All but one of the cargo crates have been destroyed. Bottles, various packs of food, small tools, and clothes litter the floor. Small patches of blue flames eat away at dust on the floor. Her eyes drift back to three overturned cars. Globs of water sit beneath pools of gasoline. A lit cigar sits atop a tool box. These people are careless. 

“What happened here!” Rin finally loses his temper. 

Asami’s eyes dart from the cigar to the man screaming. The smoke coming from its tip shrinks with each second. She knows she only has one chance to get this right. 

Every equalist in the room points a finger at the girls. 

Sanya does not contain a chuckle. “You guys are lame.” 

She takes a deep breath. Her body relaxes. 

Rin screams as he runs down the stairs. “Who the flameo do you think you are?” His words are lined with confusion and anger. 

Asami turns to him and smiles her sweetest smile. “I’m Asami flaming Sato.” She flings her left cable toward the toolbox. The cigar hops off its perch. She holds her breath as her hand searches for Sanya’s shirt. She grabs the girl and throws her onto the floor. The cigar plops into the puddle and ignites the gasoline. The flame slithers into the car’s gas tank. A blaze of flames illuminates the factory floor. A bright ball of fire ascends to the ceiling before it dissipates. Flames devour the bodies of nearby cars. Balls of fire appear each time the flame finds oil or gas. Their carelessness feeds this destruction.  

Water whips throw the nearest equalist bodies into the mech behind them. “Really?” Sanya’s voice is laced with humor. “After going through all that trouble to tell me no explosions and no jokes.”

Asami shrugs. A smug grin spreads across her face.  

The metal beast falls with a mighty crash. The sound of Sanya cackling forces the grin on Asami’s face to grow. She turns to see the girl has mimicked her metal cables. Icy vines slither on the ground around Sanya’s feet. Streams of water hold together plates of ice. She marvels at the girl’s ability to manipulate water. 

Rin screams as he charges toward the girls. “Stop them! Put out those fires!” His voices cracks. 

“Sanya, the support pillars. Wreck them. Punch as many holes into was many walls as you can.”

“I wish I was an earth bender.” She sighs before running into a group of charging equalists. 

Asami waits for her attackers. Her eyes sneak a glance at one of the mechs. Without hesitation she reaches for the boomerang and hurls it at her foes. They all duck as the boomerang cuts through the air above them. She dashes toward the nearest upright mech. Her cable latches on to a handle on the mech’s exterior. The equalists get to their feet and run past her to the cars, desperate to put out the fire. 

Sanya is busy keeping attackers off her. “Need a lift?” The water bender asks as she sends a wave toward three equalists. 

“Nope. I got it.” Asami leaps off the ground, catching the boomerang in the process

She recalls the last time she sat in pilot seat of one of these contraptions. Her face hardens with rage. 

The engines growl. Steam releases from the mech’s pressure points. Asami’s body is tense, her hands hold the controls much too tightly. Her foot is jammed into the metal beast’s pedal. She swings the mech’s arm toward the nearest pillar. Chunks of concrete clatter against the windshield as the pillar crumbles. Her hand hovers over various buttons. Slight modifications to cater to the machine’s new functions have been added. She has no idea which of these releases the ball of fire that took the world’s greatest earth bender. She looks down to see Sanya doing her best to keep all the equalists at bay. Asami exhales and opens the latch to the cockpit before slamming her hands on every button. She throws a metal cable forward. It winds itself around an exposed pipe. She swings out of the beast, making sure her foot becomes acquainted with the faces of several equalists. 

She dodges electric batons as she lands. Her cables wrap themselves around the torsos of two attackers. With a grunt, she pulls them in and tosses them against the wall. The mech she left behind begins to jerk and spin. A ball of blue fire is ejected from its left arm. The projectile hits a wall, erupting in a blaze of orange as it takes massive slabs of concrete and steel with it. People scream and flee from from the runaway mech. Its joints furiously releasing steam. 

“Sanya! Push that thing against the,” Her sentence is cut short as fist connects with her side. 

She coughs as she falls to her knees. She rolls to her left, narrowly avoiding a foot coming down on her head. She grits her teeth through the ache in her side as she grabs her attackers ankle and pulls. A woman screams behind the mask as her body hits the ground. Asami crawls on top of the woman and strikes her once in the jaw. Once is not enough. She powers on her glove. Asami struggles to keep it away from her. Her ears perk up as she hears rapid footsteps coming toward her. She waits. The woman below is becoming much too strong for her to handle on her own. The footsteps are close. The woman is putting all her strength forward. Asami springs off her attacker. The woman’s glove slams into the chest of her fellow equalist. A shriek comes from woman as her comrades baton strikes her shoulder. Both bodies collapse to the ground. 

She gets to her feet and watches the mech crash through a row of cars and into the wall. Spears of ice stick out of its back as sparks crackle from beneath its metal exoskeleton. A group of equalist are trapped under slabs of concrete and sheets of metal. Another group, being instructed by Rin, runs toward the downed mech and totaled cars. 

Sanya runs toward her. “What did you do to that thing?” A trickle of blood runs down her nose. 

“Are you all right?” She takes the girl’s face in her hands and wipes off the blood with her thumb. 

“I’m fine.” 

“I saw you and thought, what would Sanya do? So, I pressed all the buttons.”

“You have been spending way too much time with,” She slumps forward. 

Asami catches her. A masked foe begins to ready their electric batons

Sanya swings her back leg up. Her heel connects with her attackers chin. “Did you just chi block me while I was in the middle of a conversation? How dare you.” She holds onto Asami. “Behind you!” Sanya screams.

Asami drops. 

She looks up to see a curtain of black and white hair as Sanya head butts her attacker. 

Two pairs of legs rush toward the girls. She hears three more pairs behind her. 

“Sanya! Up!”

The water bender’s hands lock onto her shoulders. She propels herself up and over her. 

Asami rolls forward unleashes her cables. She feels sorry for those on the receiving end of her fury. Metal tentacles slice through the space between her and her attackers. Loud thumps reach her ear, the sound of her cables slashing through cloth and swating skin. She cringes. The bodies on the ground writhe in pain. 

“The boss is here!” She hears someone’s voice. 

She reaches for Sanya. “I have to go.”

The water bender’s palm strikes her foe’s chest, sending the body flying back several feet. “Go where?”

“He’s here. I have to find him.” Asami sends a cable flying toward an oncoming attacker. 

“By yourself?” 

“Yes.” 

“But,”

“No, you promised me.”

Sanya’s shoulders drop. A whine comes from her throat. She chews on her lip and searches the ground for answers. 

“I need you here. I need you make a mess.” She tries to smile. 

An screeching man causes Asami to turn around. An equalist rushes toward her, baton in one hand and glove on the other. A metal tentacle wraps itself around her attacker’s arm. She pulls him in. Her free hand reaches for the boomerang. The man swings the baton at her, but is met with water tribe steel. A strike to the chest with her foot turns her attacker into nothing more than a flailing mass on the floor.

Sanya takes her by the shoulders and spins her around. The water bender plants a quick kiss on her lips. “You better come back to me.” 

Asami smiles. She taps the boomerang on Sanya’s chest. “I’ll always come back to you.” She winks, hoping to reassure the girl.

The water bender tries not to smile. Asami walks past her, her hand running down the girl’s arm. Her fingers traces the length of her forearm and runs down her hand. She takes a deep breath and jogs toward the far corridor. 

A woman with a large scar running down her face steps before her. Asami does not have the patience. 

The woman readies her batons and lets out a loud howl. “Bender loving freak!”

She continues to jog, her cables like obedient snakes to their mistress, slither across the floor behind her. 

The woman charges. “I’ll rip those bender kissing lips right off your face!” She roars. 

She leaps off the ground, using the woman’s face to propel her higher into the air. She hears a grunt and a body hitting the floor as she lands. 

Two of the woman’s comrades are quick to offer assistance to their fallen comrade. Two boys, no older than Bolin, run toward Asami. She can see their hands shaking as they grip their batons much too tightly. Is this how desperate her father has become? He has recruited children?

Her rage manifests on her face. She shakes her head no. The boys slow to a stop and shot each other a glance. They drop their batons and run away. 

Asami does not have the patience. 

She presses on, forcing herself to keep her eyes forward. She knows one look at Sanya on her own would be enough to make her turn around. 

There is a loud crash behind her. Sanya slides across the floor on her back. 

Asami slows down, confusion manifests on her face. “Sanya?” Her feet feel heavier, as though they might stop moving.

“Hey, how’s it going? Great? Great. Good luck!” The water bender hops to her feet and dashes away from Asami.

She shakes her head, shaking away any hesitation. 

Once in the corridor, she closes her eyes and slows her pace. The noise from the main room becomes an echo. She focuses on voices. Grunting. Yelling. Heavy breathing. Speaking. She hones in on distant words. She cannot find that dreaded familiar voice. 

She creeps down the hall. Listening. Waiting. Asami sees Toph in her head. The earth bender stands completely still. The world around her in chaos, but like a mountain she stands still. She sees her smile, a smile that always wrapped her in comfort. A smile she will never see again. She stops walking. The voices become louder, booming over the commotion in the main room. She hears the roar of engines coming to life. 

“No.” She breathes. 

Asami steadies herself on a nearby wall. She grits her teeth and concentrates. Her feet carry her forward. Words from distant mouths bounce of the walls. She shuffles along the empty halls. Every person in this factory must either be in the hanger or dealing with a certain water bender in the main room. Her stomach lurches at the thought of Sanya being alone. Her worries refuse to leave her. She sends a fist into the wall, the sound echoes around her. She grunts and slows her pace, but she moves forward. She still cannot find the voice she seeks. 

Her rage builds, tearing down any patience she has left. Her head begins to ache, but she presses on. A single image of Toph will not allow her to stop. The voices surround her. Asami begins to wonder if they are real, or products of her own mind. Amongst the flurry, she finds it. 

“Asami is here? Good.”

Her eyes snap open and with a gasp she locks onto that dreaded voice. 

“Prepare the planes for take take off we leave now.” The echo says. 

She quickens her pace. Each steps sends a wave of fear and anger through her body. 

“Make sure the avatar and her friends are dead by the end of the day. All of them. Including… Her.” 

Asami knows he speaks of her. She feels odd due to her lack of surprise. She is no longer his daughter. She is merely a hindrance he must eliminate.

“Ready my mech. I’ll take care of the pest in the main room.”

She locks onto the voice’s position and sprints down the hall fueled by anger. 

“I wonder if she can hear me. Oh Asami, where are you?” He laughs. 

She passes by open doors and unlocks those she finds closed. 

“What if I made this girl scream, would she hear that?” He continues to taunt.

She is met with only empty rooms and the occasional frightened equalist. She skids to a stop as she finds herself back in main room. 

Sanya stands near the back of the room. A tower of water glistens beside her. Her shirt is ripped and stained. Blood has caked on her fists. Asami prays to the spirits that the girl is not covered in her own blood. The water bender’s chest rises and falls with heavy breaths. The bodies of fallen equalists litter the floor. They write in pain or lie perfectly still. Their rising chests bring relief to Asami. A dozen or so equalists still stand. They are all tense and unmoving. A single mech has been separated from the rest. 

“Nice of you to join us.” The voice is no longer an echo. 

Asami grits her teeth and walks toward the mech. She rises her hand slightly, telling Sanya to stand down. The girl obeys. The tower falls into a puddle at her feet.

The mech’s frontal latch is open. Hiroshi sits at the controls, the mech’s arms pointed directly at his daughter. No traces of her father can found in those small beady eyes hiding behind tinted glasses. A scruffy bread covers his neck and face. His hair is longer and slicked back. Skin is pulled tight against his face. Who is this man before her?

“Did you have fun thinking you were making a difference?”

Asami clenches her fist. “Stop this. More people will get hurt.”

Hiroshi laughs. “You mean your ice dog didn’t have her fill?” 

Her nails into dig into her palm. “You don’t have to go through with this.” 

“Oh, but I already have.” His grin sends a chill down Asami’s spine. “Did you really think you had out smarted me? Me of all people? Did you really think I wouldn’t know you figured out where this place is? I raised you for spirits’ sake!” He cackles. “My people are already halfway to where they need to be and you spent all your time playing hero in this dump. Oh, ‘Sami, I thought you were better than that.”

Rage forces tears to stream down her face. “Stop.” She mutters through gritted teeth. 

Hiroshi continues to cackle. She hears footsteps coming though water. 

“Stop.” Her voice is louder.

“I’m sorry, what was that ‘Sami?” Hiroshi mocks. 

“Stop this now. I don’t know where you got the idea that hate would solve anything.” Her voice rises. “It’s like you never even knew mom!” She yells.

Hiroshi stops laughing. His face hardens at the mention of his wife. “You speak as though you know.” 

“I know more than you.” Her voice cracks at the thought of her mother’s journal sitting on her bed. 

“You know nothing!” He screams. 

This man is no longer her father. She shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “I’ll ask you one more time, stop this.”

“Or what?” He voice is low. 

Asami turns around to find Sanya hovering several feet behind her. “Get out of here.”

The girl’s face twists with confusion. She opens her mouth to protest.

“You need to warn Lin and the others. Or help them. You just need to go to them. I’ll be fine.”

Sanya shuts her mouth and clenches her jaw. Her fingers run up and down her arm. She twists the ends of her arm sleeves. 

“Ordering around your dog I see. “ Hiroshi calls out. 

She ignores him. All her attention is focused on Sanya. The water bender shakes her head. Her eyes are wet and her body is tense. She turns and runs toward the corridor. 

Nearby equalists bring their batons and gloves to life.

“Let her go. She can’t do anything.” 

Sanya disappears into the hall. 

Asami turns her attention to the equalist thugs surrounding her. She hears the sounds of plane engines in the nearby hanger. She knows she must stop the planes from taking off, but she will not allow her father to leave this building. 

“Finally given up?” Hiroshi taunts. 

Her hand slips into her back pocket and reaches for the glove. “Mountains don’t crumble because one man curses them, do they?” She fiddles with the gloves settings. 

Hiroshi laughs. His confidence blinds him. “Learn that from that dirt family you love so much? Who knew a couple of dirty,” 

She does not allow him to finish his insult. She tosses the malfunctioning glove toward him. It whizzes through the air. She rolls onto the ground and takes cover behind a downed pillar and shuts her eyes. The glove detonates with a bright flash, blinding anyone looking directly at it. She hears Hiroshi scream amongst the rest of his followers. She jumps out from behind the ruble. 

“Stop her!” Hiroshi orders. The man is frantic within the mech. 

His words are screamed in vain. Every equalist in the room is still dazed from glove’s explosion. 

A blaze of fire hits a nearby wall. Hiroshi aimlessly fires.

Asami launches herself off the ground. Her feet push off of slabs of concrete and sheets of metal. She works her way to the top her father’s mech. The metal beast sways to the side, doing its best to bring the girl to the ground. Another ball of fire takes down a pillar to her right. 

She wraps a cable around a handle and kicks the top latch. It is reinforced and sealed shut. She releases her cable and hops off the mech. The walls begin to crumble.The ground beneath her shakes. 

Her father’s thugs are still stunned, but she knows they will recover soon. The mech’s arm releases a cloud of steam. He points it at her. 

“You made me do this! You made me!” Her father shouts. 

A group of equalists come charging toward her. Chunks of the ceiling come down on them. 

“You’ll kill them too!” She warns, hoping to buy herself and her attackers time to find cover. 

A maniacal laugh comes from Hiroshi. “I’m willing to make that sacrifice!”

She runs toward an overturned car. The mech’s arm prepares to fire. She releases her cables. It wraps itself around a chunk of concrete. A ball of fire comes hurling toward her. With all her strength and a mighty scream she flings the concrete toward the fiery projectile. The two collide head on in the air. The force of the impact sends Asami hurtling backward. Her stomach lurches and her ears pop. She sees nothing but a blinding light. She bounces off a wall and lands on the ground. Her brain rattles in her skull. Shockwaves of pain paralyze her body. She no longer has the strength to scream. The world around her becomes blurry. She sees pairs of feet running past her. A ringing in her ears is all she can hear. She watches the fuzzy image of a mech turn and walk out through the back door. Th ground shakes as the factory falls apart. She opens her mouth to scream, but the words will not come through a dry scratchy throat. Breathing becomes painful. A metallic taste covers her tongue. 

The world wilts. All is black. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

_Asami, my darling girl. You’ve grown up so much._

_Mom?_

The woman lays a gentle hand on Asami’s cheek. But she cannot feel her warmth.

_I am so proud of you._ Shining tears fall from her eyes. Asami can see nothing around but her mother. _I love you so, so much and I am so proud of you._

_I couldn’t stop him, mom. I couldn’t do it._ She hears her own voice crack. She wonders why she cannot feel her body. 

Her mother only smiles. Amai kisses her daughter’s forehead. _Don’t give up now my dear. I love you so, so much. Please don’t forget that. Please don’t forget._

_Mom, I could never forget._

_I am so proud of you._ She kisses her daughter once more. _Goodbye dear._

_Mom! Mom, no! Please don’t leave me. Not again._ Asami knows she is crying, but she cannot feel her tears fall. Her stomach sinks, leaving her empty. _Let me stay with you! Mommy, I want to stay with you._ She throws her arms around her mother, falling into her lap. But she cannot feel her warmth. 

Amai is silent. She smiles and wipes away her tears. _I’m sorry, my darling girl._ She pats her daughter’s head. _I am so sorry._

_Mom, I want to stay with you._

_Someone is waiting for you. Wake up, my dear._

She squeezes her mother’s waist. But she cannot feel her warmth. 

_Asami. Wake up. You have much left to do. Someone is waiting for you._

_Please don’t go! Mom!_ Asami screams. Her voice is a mere whisper. No matter how much effort she exerts, her voice is never loud enough. 

_Please! Don’t go! Don’t leave me!_

_I will never leave you my darling._

_Please… Mom._ She stutters between sobs. 

_Asami. Wake up. Wake up._

“Asami!” A voices calls her out of her dreams. 

She opens her eyes. The world is a blur. Her throat is dry and scratchy. The taste of blood coats her tongue. A dull ache in her back and side are that remains from a pain she cannot remember. A pile of clothes rolled into a log supports her head. She throws off the large brown top draped across her body.

“Asami? I’m not leaving you. Can you hear me?” A familiar voice says. 

“Sanya?” Her voice is weak. 

Her eyes regain their focus. Sanya is on her knees. Her arm sleeves are drenched in blood. A bruise on her jaw and dried blood in the corner of her mouth stain her otherwise clean face. The water bender holds onto her shoulders. Asami does not realize how tightly she is holding onto the girl’s arms. She looks past Sanya to see the old Future Industries factory in ruins. She is momentarily paralyzed by distress. Puddles of water litter the floor. Small flames exhaust their last breath of life. People in equalist uniforms sit against the wall and stand around comrades who have yet to wake. Not a single one attempts to attack them. 

“Asami?” Sanya calls out. She holds out a canteen. 

“What happened?” She manages to croak out. “Why’d you come back?”

The water bender takes a seat beside her. “I heard an explosion.” She points to the left and behind. “And you know, I can’t drive.” She tries to joke, but worry weaves its way into her words.

Asami turns to see the entirety of the back wall gone. She takes a swig from the canteen. Cool water runs down her throat. She feels as though it heals all her aliments. 

“When I got back you were knocked out. Those guys were too. I felt bad, I couldn’t just leave them.” She tosses a thumb toward the equalists. “They won’t try anything. Too tired I think.” 

She puts her hand on Sanya’s stained arm sleeves as she drinks the rest of the water in the canteen. “Are you okay?” 

“I should be asking you that. How are you feeling?”

She sits up. Her eyes scan the ruins of the factory. Memories of events prior to her loss of consciousness come flooding back. Her eyes widen with shock.

“Asami?”

“We have to go!” She jumps to her feet. She stumbles as her head spins. 

Sanya catches her. “We will go, as soon as you’re able to walk in a straight line.” 

Asami takes a deep breath. She is filled with the smell of smoke, motor oil, and lavender muddled with sweat. 

“I’m fine.” She takes a step back and out of Sanya’s arms. “How long was I out?”

The water bender shakes her head. “I’m horrible with time. Twenty minutes? A little more?” 

“What happened here?” Her hand gives Sanya’s arm a gentle pat. She worries the stains come from the girl’s own blood. 

The girl shrugs. “The usual. I’m fine. Really, I’m fine.”

Asami takes another deep breath. “Sanya, I had a dream about my mother. At least, I think it was a dream.” A cold breeze hits her skin. She braces herself and takes hold of Sanya’s arms. They are warm. Unlike her mother. “She told me someone was waiting for me. Is it you?”

“It can be.” The girl’s voice is low. 

“She said I have a lot left to do.”

“She was right.” Sanya pulls Asami into a hug. 

She takes a deep breath before stepping out of her arms. “We have to go.” 

“Are you feeling okay?”

“Surprisingly okay. You know, considering.”

The water bender nods. 

Asami walks toward the gaping hole that was once the back exit of the factory. 

“Okay, we can go that way too.” Sanya adds as she follows. “Take care guys!” She waves at the group of equalists recovering in the corner. 

Three hands are raised to acknowledge Sanya’s farewell.

Asami raises an eyebrow. “Got some new friends there?”

The water bender shrugs. “I kept them from burning to a crisp. They helped me keep your father’s guys from taking you.”

She nods in understanding. “Tahno told me I should go out this way.” She rubs her wrists and checks her cables for any malfunctions. 

She sees the water bender nod as she she walks beside her. “What’s the plan now? They must already be there.” 

She shrugs. There is no way they would make it there in time to warn the others. 

“Do we go back to the motorcycle?” Sanya asks. 

Asami is silent. She walks through the wreckage. Her eyes take in the sight of scorched cars buried under piles of rubble. She stops, crouches, and places her bare hand on a skid mark on the ground. The concrete is warm. There are no scorch marks, no ash on this spot. She gets to her feet and walks through the gaping hole left by Hiroshi’s army. 

She cocks her head to the side at the sight of a small plane sitting under a tarp. 

“Oh, don’t tell me you can fly planes too.”

She answers with a shrug and a sly grin.

Sanya hides her grin and waves her away.

She jogs the plane and yanks off the tarp. It is an older model. The paint has begun to chip. Spots of white paint cover its rusted metal body. She walks the length of the plane, examining what she can with what little time she has. She frowns upon reaching the back of the plane. She jumps into the cockpit and scans the controls. She finds what she is looking for, but relief is soon replaced with disappointment. 

She chews on her lip and exhales. “We have a problem.”

The water bender crosses her arms. 

Asami points to the back of the plane. “The elevators and horizontal stabilizers aren’t working.”

The water bender stares with blank eyes and an innocent smile. 

“The flappy things on the back end there don’t work. We need them to work to get off the ground and to stay leveled when we get up.” 

She responds with a thumbs up. “What now?” 

She pats her temples with her palms. She looks up to see the tarp on the ground. 

“Sanya, take the rope from that thing.”

The water bender points to the tarp. 

Asami nods. “Can you put, like… I don’t know. Spikes on the ends of two of them?”

The water bender works to untie a pair of two meter long pieces of rope. She bends muddy water from a nearby puddle. Large, icy stakes form at the end of each piece. 

“Stick them into the ends of the,”

Sanya stops her mid-sentence with a raised eyebrow.

“Stick them into those flappy bits on the… Umm… Tail?” 

The water bender walks to the planes’ end and points to the areas on either side of the rudder. 

Asami nods. 

Icy spikes are driven into metal. Sanya tosses the other ends of the rope to Asami as she scrambles to get into the plane. To her surprise, Asami seats herself behind the cockpit facing the plane’s end. She holds the ropes like reins on an ostrich horse. 

“Excuse me. How are you going to fly the plane from back there?

“I’m not. You are. Hurry up, we’ve lost enough time.” She rummages around the small storage unit by her feet and pulls out two pairs of dusty goggles. 

“I made myself clear when I said I didn’t know how to drive a car right? What on earth makes you think I can pilot a plane?” She says as she scrambles into the cockpit. 

“You’ll be fine.” She tosses Sanya her goggles as she straps on her own pair. 

Sanya takes a deep breath. She clenches her fists in her lap. 

“I’ll get you going okay? Just follow my instructions.” Asami leans over the water bender’s shoulders and pushes lightly on the throttle levers. “We don’t have much gas, but I think it should be enough to get us there.” 

The plane begins to more forward. They do not have enough room to take off properly. Any other pilot would not risk taking off with such little space. A sly grin grows on Asami’s face. She always did love challenges.

She takes Sanya’s fists and kisses the back of her hands before placing them on the control wheel. “Trust me.” She says in the girl’s ear over the growl of the plane’s engine. 

“You have too much faith in me.” Sanya’s doubt manifests in her words. 

“No. I have just enough faith in us.” Asami settles in her position, taking her reins. “Push the throttle closest to you and pull up slightly.” 

The water bender obeys. 

She keeps a tight grip on the ropes. A slight pull is all the plane needs to hover just above the ground. 

“Pull the throttle all the way up,” She turns around to see a chain link fence in the distance rapidly approaching. “Now!” 

Sanya does as she is told. 

Asami keeps a tight grip on her reins. She pulls on them.

The plane lifts off the ground. 

“Sanya, pull it all the way up!” She strains to the keep control over her ropes. She knows the ice will begin to melt soon. 

The plane lunges up. They continue to ascend as the fence nears. The engine groans along with the girl holding the wheel. The plane dips. Asami shuts her eyes. She pulls on her reins. A high pitched screech assaults her ears as the bottom of the plane scrapes against the top of the fence. 

She exhales. “Just keep the wheel steady. Oh and Sanya, could you please keep the ice from melting?”

The water bender nods. “My, my Miss Sato. You always know how to get my heart racing don’t you?”

She cannot suppress a grin. Her body relaxes. A strong wind dries the sweat on her face. Relief calms her pounding heart. She enjoys the sound of the plane’s engine. She watches the old factory district disappear below them. They will be at the police station in no time. There is no sight of equalist planes. She worries about what they might be up to.

“What do these lights mean? On the dashboard here.”

“They’re indicator lights.” Asami answers as she diverts her attention to the back of the plane. “Four green lights means everything is good.” She leans on the back of the pilot’s chair. “One yellow light means we’re low on gas. Two yellow lights mean we’re running on emergency fuel. One red light means there’s something wrong, with the engine or the propeller. Four red lights mean we have a problem.”

The humming of the wind fills her ears. Sanya shifts in her seat. 

“Asami.”

“Yes?”

“We have a problem.”

She laughs to herself. “Of course we do.” She turns to see four red lights flashing on the dashboard. Beyond the windshield she can see the ocean. A blockade of three ships prevents a solitary United Forces ship from passing. The police headquarters is surrounded by equalist mechs. A wall of concrete is has been erected between the building and a small army of mechs. The surrounding buildings have been reduced to rubble. Pillars of smoke rise from fires below. 

“What is going on down there?” Asami says to herself.

Equalist foot soldiers have pushed the police force to its limits. She sees no sign of Lin’s grey hair. Or Hiroshi’s mechanical monster. She knows they are in dire need of help. 

The plane begins to descend. A high pitched beeping comes from it’s dashboard. 

“Asami?” Sanya’s panics. 

“Steer towards those boats.” She releases the ropes. “I’m gonna jump when we get over the pier.”

“Okay. I’ll make sure this thing goes where it needs to go. I’ll be fine in the water. I’ll follow. I think I’ll have some fires to put out.” 

The plane drops rapidly. Asami’s stomach lurches. The pier comes into view. 

She grabs Sanya’s collar and kisses her cheek. “Be careful.” 

The water bender nods. “Just gonna crash a plane into a ship, what could go wrong?” 

Asami swings her cables. They wrap themselves around a lamppost. She leaps out of the plane and drops. Her stomach protests. She cannot hold back a scream as she free falls. Blood rushes to her head, but her dizziness passes. Her arms tense as she reels in a portion of her cables. Her mind frantically tries to recall images of Lin using her cables to swing from one area to another. Her gut wrenches as she brings her legs back then forward. She releases her left cable and flings it toward the next lamppost. It latches. A wave of relief washes over her. 

The massive wall around the police station comes into view. Her arms scream for mercy as she swings from lamppost to lamppost. She needs to swing from something much higher to clear the wall and avoid being an easy target for an equalist mech. 

Asami spots a flagpole on a building near the wall. It is much higher than a lamppost, allowing her to clear the wall with one swing. With a mighty grunt, she unleashes both her cables. They wrap around the flagpole. All her body weight swings forward. Her eyes peek over the wall. She sees Lin standing beside a sky bison along with the rest of her family. 

Once her legs clear the barrier, she releases her cables and reels them back in. She flips her body as she falls. She pulls her knees in as the ground nears. She braces herself for impact. Her feet hit concrete, she puts a hand to the ground as she steadies herself. She slides back. Once she is still, she rises and pulls off her goggles. 

“Nice entrance!” Bolin shouts from behind his brother.

Asami gives hims a thumbs up and a wink. 

Korra is tense. She knows the avatar is itching for a fight. Tenzin does his best to keep his children behaved as the rest of his family watch. Katara, Azula, and Ty Lee are motionless, like living monuments of their own legacies.  

All her focus is on Lin as she walks toward her. The metal bender shouts orders at nearby police officers. Asami smiles at the bun on the woman’s head. 

“Lin, what’s the situation?” She says as she tosses her goggles aside. 

“We’re swamped.” Lin says with her back turned. She turns to face Asami. “New hair? It’s nice.” Her voice is flat, but her words are sincere. 

“You too.”

“Where’s Sanya?”

“In the water putting out fires.” 

Lin raises an eyebrow. 

“Sanya flew a plane into the equalist boats blocking the UF from docking.” 

“She flew a plane?” Lin’s skepticism cannot be contained.

“Well, I helped.” Asami shrugs. 

“Either way, that’ll be helpful.”

A disk shaped shadow slithers across the ground. She throws herself at Lin. The women tumble to the ground. A giant orb of ice creates a crater in the ground before them. Smoldering slabs of metal and shrapnel have embedded themselves into the frozen orb. 

Lin grabs Asami’s arm and pulls her to her feet. “Thanks. But this dunderhead has pretty good aim.”

Cracks form and crawl around the ball before the ice shatters. Sanya steps out and brushes ice chips from her shoulders. 

“Seventy years ago it was the boy in the iceberg. Today, we get the girl in the iceberg. Happy Avatar day everyone.” Azula jokes. She nudges a smiling Katara with her elbow. A giggling Ty Lee stands beside them.

Katara nods at Sanya as she and the other pile into the bison’s carriage. The girl gives her a thumbs up as she jogs toward them. Asami follows. 

“What happened?” Lin asks her niece as she takes her arm and pats her bloodied arm sleeves. “Where’s your jacket?”

The water bender’s eyes drop. She shakes her head. 

“We’ll go shopping after this okay?” She ruffles her nieces hair. “I like your new hair. Try to be more careful though, okay?”

The girl nods. 

Asami puts her hand on Sanya’s back. “Fires all out?”

She nods.  

“Lin!” A booming voice calls out. 

Pebble and Jet jog toward the group from the wreckage of a nearby building. The word “medic” to printed across Pebbles shirt and the bag he carries on his back. The wolf wears a harness with the same word written across both sides. 

He leaps at the sight of his human, furiously licking her face and arms. “Look at you and your fancy vest.” Sanya says through a smile. 

He skips to Asami and head butts her legs. 

“Hey buddy.” She pats his head. The feel of the wolf’s fur between her fingers is comforting. 

“Lin, I’m getting them out of here.” Tenzin calls out from atop the sky bison. “Yip, yip!”

“Nope, nope!’ Sanya calls out as she grabs the reins from the bison’s horns. “They’ve got planes and that won’t be a fun ride for anyone.”

Asami swallows. “I am so sorry. I forgot that they might have planes.” Her face burns red. She avoids everyone’s gaze as they come down from the carriage. 

“How many?” Korra asks. 

“At least a dozen. I’m so sorry.” Asami clenches her fists. 

“It’s okay.” Lin pats her shoulder. “Auntie Azula shot a couple right out of the air.”

Azula laughs. “It was fun.”

“No! It’s not okay! They could have hurt Korra or any one of us! This half baked plan is a mess!” Mako blurts out. “How could you forget about planes! This is your fault,” 

His sentence is cut short by a fist to the jaw. A collective gasp from the group is the only sound louder than is body hitting the floor. Even Jet is still, unsure of what to do. Asami’s hands find themselves over her mouth. Sanya stands huffing over the boy. Her rage furrows her brow and tenses her jaw. 

Korra steps in and pushes her shoulder. Her flaming fist is ready to strike. 

Sanya does not pay her any attention.

“Hey!” Lin grabs her niece by the back collar and drags her back. “You got away with it last time, but that was uncalled for. Fifty hours of community service is back on for you.” 

The water bender does not protest. She nods. Heavy breaths cause her chest to rise and fall. The girl is much too tense for Asami’s liking. 

Lin whispers something in the girl’s ear. Sanya’s shoulders drop. Her face softens. She wipes dirt from her face. 

“You too, calm down.” Lin throws her chin toward the avatar. 

Korra’s fist is extinguished.

Asami shakes the shock out of her system. Her mind is a beehive of thoughts. The buzzing keeps her from coming up with a solution. 

“Look, we need to get you all out of here.” Lin points to the air bending family. “The rest of us will stay and take care of this mess.”

“The secret tunnel.” Sanya says with her head down. 

“The what?” Bolin asks. 

“Gramps told me about it. He and Aunt Toph built a bunch of secret tunnels under the city. You know like the song?”

Katara begins to laugh while everyone is silenced by confusion. 

“I love that song!” Ty Lee chimes in.

“I hate that song.” Lin and Azula say at the same time.

“I’m not gonna sing it! I don’t know the words.” She looks to her aunt. “It should be okay for them to go that way, right?”

“Chief, we need you out there!” A female voice calls out. 

“Just a minute. Keep it up Hana!” Lin shouts. “You.” She points to Bolin. “You have to go with them. They need an earth bender. Korra and I have to stay here.” She taps the ground with her heel. Like an earthen snake, the ground slithers past the group. “You should be fine. Uncle left maps.” 

“Oogie won’t go underground.” Tenzin adds. 

A lightbulb goes off in Asami’s head. “Then don’t go underground.” 

All eyes focus on her. 

“There are people who need help down here, injured people. You can get them out.” She turns to Korra. “This is my fight Korra. You have to go with him to keep the planes off you. These people need their avatar right now.”

The avatar opens her mouth to speak. 

“She’s right.” Katara adds. 

Korra’s brow furrows. “Fine.” 

“What about me?” Mako asks rubbing his chin. 

“Make yourself useful.” Lin answers. 

“What about you guys?” Korra asks.

All eyes are once again on Asami. Her jaw tenses. She focuses on the sounds of battle beyond Lin’s wall. 

“We take them on head on. No more sneaking around. No more trying to out wit each other. We take them head on.” 

She sees Lin smile from the corner of her eye. She knows the woman’s mother would have said the same thing. 

“Okay, we all know what we’re doing. I’m bringing this wall down.” She stomps a foot into the ground and thrusts her fists into the the air. 

Tenzin, with Korra in tow, flies off on Oogie. Bolin herds the air bending family toward the path Lin laid out for them. Three old women stay behind, unmoving and unnerved. Asami stands on edge, her feet ready to propel her to where she needs to go. 

“Umm. Ladies, if you would please follow me.” Bolin pleads with the older women.

Ty Lee holds up a hand.

“Wait.” Azula says. 

The barrier crumbles. Spheres of earth and concrete hurl themselves toward the nearest equalist vehicles. 

Asami sees a large truck hauling a tank. She runs toward it.  

“Where are you going?” Lin shouts. 

“I need to get her water!”

“Sanya get back here,” The woman’s words are cut short when she finds her niece standing beside her. “Oh, you’re still here?” Genuine surprise lines her words. 

The water bender nods. “They said wait.”

A forceful hand takes Asami’s arm, stopping her in her tracks. She stumbles and nearly falls onto her back, but that sturdy hand keeps her standing. She looks down to see Katara shaking her head no with a gentle smile on her face. She releases her grip on Asami’s arm. 

“Wait.” The woman says. 

Katara waves a hand before her in one slow and fluid motion. It stops just before Asami, the woman’s wrist is limp, her hand is down with her fingers toward the ground. 

The ground beneath their feet rumbles. She looks up to see Lin removing her boots. Beyond the metal bender, water crashes through the empty streets. Equalists caught in the raging waves are washed away as earth benders from the police force raise themselves and their comrades onto a small plateaus. 

“Just wait, my dear.” Katara winks before turning and joining her grandchildren. 

Asami nods in understanding. 

Tenzin and Korra take off on Oogie. 

Beyond her is a battlefield. Equalist mechs lurch forward as they target members of the police force. Foot soldiers ignite their batons and bring their gloves to life. The city before her is is in ruins. Buildings have been defaced and shops reduced to rubble. Flags and posters advertising avatar day lie dirtied and singed on the ground. She hears cries for help and the soft howl of a wolf. There is blood on the staircase before her. The blood of innocents. Pillars of smoke nearly block out the sun. She must put an end to this. Her jaw tightens. Rage sets her body aflame at the sight of Toph’s statue lying beside an over turned car with her company’s insignia on the hood. 

Two planes fly overhead. They are shot down by blasts of lightning. She hears Azula cackling behind her. She is quickly hushed by her wife. A plane cashes into a building, sending more rubble tumbling down into the street before them. The second stays in the air, leaving a trail of smoke behind. She figures it will crash in the ocean. 

“Auntie! Can I borrow some of that lightening please!” Sanya calls out from Asami’s left, pulling her out of her thoughts. 

Azula continues to laugh as she walks away. She does not turn around, but instead throws two fingers over her shoulder. Sanya, mimicking her aunt’s two fingers catches the flash of lightening in a bubble of water and sends it flying into the nearest mech. 

“Thank you!” 

The mech spasms and crashes into the ground. Its pilot slumps over the controls. 

Asami walks down the steps. She focuses on the feel of the ground with each step. She takes a deep breath before unleashing her cables and attacking the nearest body. She tosses an equalist into the side of a truck. Her sore arms protest, but comply. A second attacker comes at her from the left. A fist catches her face. She stumbles as her brain rattles in her skull. Asami sends a foot into her attackers stomach. A pulsing ache tells her a bruise is forming below her eye. 

“Do you know how many more are coming?” Lin asks as she sends a sheet of metal flying into the face of another mech. 

“He had about a dozen more mechs and cars. Plus the planes.” She answers as her cables send a boulder flying into an equalist motorcyclist. 

“Great.”

“Hello Chief Beifong. I see you got your bending back.” An equalist behind a mask lands before Lin and displays his buzzing batons. 

Lin raises an eyebrow. “Who’s this clown?” She says under her breath

Asami takes a step forward to attack, but a single hand stops her. 

“It will be a pleasure to fight you-“

His words are cut short. The ground below him rises. He is quick to recover. But Lin is quicker. A stone disk flies into his stomach and sends him flying several meters back. 

“That’s right it’s your pleasure.” Lin retorts as she jumps off the ground and onto a mech. 

“I love my auntie.” Sanya calls out as she sends missiles of ice into an oncoming car. 

Asami rushes forward to take on a group of five equalists. “Hey guys.” A sly grin grows on her face.

Her attackers stop mid stride. She cocks her head to the side. They hesitate to attack. They are tired and scared. One unmasked man’s gaze drifts from her to a something behind her. She looks back to see Sanya sending water whips to dispose of her attackers. Asami shakes her head no before whipping a cable over her head. Her attackers’ heads tilt up, watching the cable. They forget she has two arms. She hurls her other cable at the nearest equalist. Her metal tentacle sends a body flying into a pile of ruble. The cable over her head whips down, sending another body to the ground. The equalists left standing continue their attack. Like a tiger eagle taking flight, she leaps. Her cables, like slender metal wings whip around her body. Her cables latch onto the ankle of one of her foes. Another sends a foot to her face. It catches her chin. Despite the pain, she is quick to recover. She returns the favor sending her knee into her attacker’s head. The third, the unmasked man, rolls past her.

Asami hears a familiar grunt behind her. She turns to find the unmasked man straddling Sanya and throwing punches aimed at her face. The water bender shields her face with a sheet of ice. She lifts her leg, trying desperately to hook the man’s neck. But his movements are too sporadic and wild for her to get a good grip. 

“Get off my girlfriend!” Asami screams.

She plants her feet into the ground unleashes both her cables at once. Like sparrow snakes catching their prey, they tangle themselves around the man’s legs and waist. She tosses him over her head. 

Lin jogs to her niece and helps the girl up, dusting off her shirt and inspecting her for any serious injuries. 

“Girlfriend? When did that happen?” They ask simultaneously. 

The water bender’s mouth curls into a large grin. It disappears from her face as Lin smacks the back of her head. “Shouldn’t you know!” 

The girl shrugs before riding a small wave into an oncoming squad of enemies. Lin catapults herself into the air and swings into a cloud of smoke. Asami cannot help but grin as she runs toward the nearest mech. She leaps off the ground and grabs hold of the handles on the mech’s side. The mechanical beast tries to shakes her off as she climbs to the top, but she refuses to budge. Once at the top, she looks up to see Oogie landing on the staircase leading into the station. Pebble carries two people on his shoulders while Jet shepherds a group of people to the bison. 

Asami wraps her cable around her fist and hammers into the top hatch. The mech sways from side to side and begins to spin. She continues to hammer into the metal until it dents. 

“Asami!” She hears Sanya’s voice call out to her. 

She looks up to find a nearby mech preparing to fire. A flash of white is all Asami sees before it releases its projectile. Her ears ring as a blast goes off to her left. Sanya is knocked to her bottom by an explosion. The water bender kicks up her feet and spins on her back, sending up a wall of water to exterminate the blues flames crawling towards her. Another kick sends icy spears in her direction. The spears shatter the glass of the cockpit’s windshield. Asami is nearly knocked off the mech as the pilot shrieks. She winces as a shard of glass flies much too close to her face and slashes the skin near her eyebrow. She ignores the stinging and swings into the cockpit, knocking out the pilot in the process. 

“Sorry!” She says before pushing the unconscious body through the newly formed window. “I’m not really.” She adds as she hears the body hit the ground.

She turns the mech around to face an oncoming company of cars. Asami breaks off the steering stick and jumps out of the mech before it begins barreling down the road toward the oncoming cars. 

Her ears latch onto a screaming man. Her head cannot help but turn in its direction. Beyond a pile of rubble, Mako lies on his back as he clutches his leg. Three mechs rush toward his position. These models are much larger than the others. She is still, allowing her mind to process this new image. 

Her stomach drops when the mechs stop. Their joints screech as they release steam. Hatches unlock and swing open from each mech’s undercarriage. Two smaller, sleeker machines drop to the ground. Each looking like large metal exoskeletons and controlled by a masked pilot. 

“Oh, come on.” Asami groans. A bundle of anger and despair drops in her stomach. 

She breaks into a run. The injured fire bender stands no chance against six of these new mechanized creatures. Her focus is completely fixated on the boy writhing in pain on the ground. She is knocked off balance by a nearby blast. Dust finds its way into the cuts on her face. A stray rock hits her ribs. She grunts in pain, but she carries on. They have begun to target her as well. Asami takes a sharp step to the left, then to the right. Her strategy proves to be a futile attempt as a second blast knocks her to the ground. The world spins into a blurry mess before her. The ringing in her ears overtakes her thoughts. She does not have the luxury of time to sit and reorient herself. She looks up to see a another projectile headed her way. She scrambles to her feet. A wall of earth rises to her right. The projectile is discharged. To her left, foot soldiers begin hurling batons and makeshift grenades. They never reach her. Blocks of ice trap the batons prevent the grenades from detonating. 

“Go!” Lin instructs. 

“We’ll cover you!” Sanya adds. 

“Even after you punched him in the face?” Asami jokes.

She sees the water bender smile. “Just because I don’t like the guy doesn’t mean I want to see him die. Now go.”

Walls of ice and stone rise around her, protecting her from any and all attacks. A direct path to Mako forms before her. Asami bursts into a sprint. The sounds of battle reach her ears through the earthen barrier. She sees the fuzzy images of bodies fighting through the icy wall. She inhales as though she breathes in the strength granted to her by the daughter of the moon and the child of the earth. 

She drops to Mako’s side. The earthen wall and icy barrier fall. 

The boy groans and tries to sit up. She pushes him back onto the ground. A small pool of blood has formed under his right leg. She tears open his pant leg to examine the damage. A shard of iron as embedded itself into his flesh. Half a year ago she would have cringed and lost her breakfast at the sight of raw flesh. She puts her fingers to her lips and whistles. 

She takes Mako’s scarf and shoves it into his mouth. “Bite this.” 

“Lin, can you take it out?” She makes sure her words are heard over the sounds of the fight. 

The metal bender does not turn around. “I tell him to make himself useful, and this is what happens.” She keeps her eyes forward. 

“Don’t mind her.” Asami tried to comfort the boy. 

The shard flies out of Mako’s leg. The boy screams into his scarf. Tears force their way through his closed eyes. 

Jet comes scampering to Asami’s side. She takes cleaning solution and dressings from the wolf’s harness pouch. Mako screams again she pours the solution onto the wound. A nearby blast causes her to drop the bottle onto his leg. The boy’s muffled curses are cut short. He has lost consciousness. 

Asami freezes. She looks to the small pool of blood on the ground. He has not lost enough to pass out. 

“Go find Pebble. Now!” She pushes Jet away. 

Lin and Sanya run past her. The pair take on six miniature mechs on their own. Asami does her best to dress Mako’s wound, but her hands shake with uncertainty. She inspects the boy’s body, looking for any other wounds, but she finds nothing. She does not think to take care for her own wounds. 

A mighty hand clasps her shoulder. She jumps. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. What’s wrong?” Pebble asks. 

“He passed out. He didn’t lose that much blood, I don’t know what happened.” 

He wipes dirt and sweat from his brow. “Might have passed out from the pain. I’ve seen it happen before, but with more serious injuries. You know, like removing a limb.” 

Asami’s mouth hangs open. 

“I do tend to blab sometimes don’t I?” He smiles to himself. “I’ll take care of this one. You go.” He takes the boy in his arms and begins to walk away. 

She puts a hand on his arm. “Please, tell Korra if she wants to leave to be with him she can go. We’ll be fine here.” 

He raises an eyebrow at her request. 

“If it were Sanya…”

“I understand.” 

She nods and runs off. Asami avoids any attackers making their way to her. She runs into the heart of the battlefield. Her eyes desperately search for one glimpse of the man who started this mess. She stops in the eye of the storm. Sanya and Lin have followed. They stand to either side of her. 

“So, how’s everyone doing?” Sanya asks as she catches her breath. 

“Oh, you know.” Asami answers. “Lin?”

The woman is silent. She sends a wall of earth into a car to her left. 

Asami looks past the cloud of smoke before her. Five more mechs and another battalion of foot soldiers come barreling down the street. 

She takes a deep breath before putting and hand on the arms of both women on either side of her. “We’ve got more company.” She points forward, past the thin veil of smoke. 

Lin and Sanya are motionless. 

The Republic City police force is dwindling in numbers. There is no sight of the UF. Asami does not panic, she knows this place is only one of the several battle grounds in the city. But, this must end here.

“There are least three dozen more on foot. I bet he’s in one of those mechs.” 

Lin is silent.  

“And there are three of us.” Sanya says. “It almost doesn’t seem fair.” She jokes. 

“I’ll only use one hand then.” Lin adds. 

Each woman flaunts a mischievous grin. 

Lin stomps a bare foot into the rubbish laden ground. In horse stance, she extends one arm. Her open palm facing the oncoming foes. “Sanya, time to slow dance.”

To Asami’s right, Sanya mimics her aunt’s horse stance. A sweeping hand stops with an open palm forward while the other is stretched out, a limp wrist with her hand curled, shaped like a crescent moon. 

“Asami, just like how we trained.” 

She understands. Asami slides her foot forward while the other bends at the knee. She extends her arms, like a leopard hawk unfurling its wings. Her cables drop from her wrist. 

“Wait.” Lin says under her breath. 

A single plane flies dangerously low overhead. She follows it with her eyes. Once past their location, it shot down by a burst of orange flame. A small grin flashes on her face. _She stayed behind._ She thinks. Relief relaxes her muscles. The avatar has her back. 

From the corner of her eye she sees Lin executing a clean uppercut, sending a pillar of earth into the undercarriage of the closest mech. It falls to its knees. Icy daggers implant themselves into its back. The ground trembles as it falls. Asami leaps, her cables latch onto a body. She flings her foe into the air. Another combatant attacks her. She dodges a kick. A punch lands in her side, knocking the air out of her lungs. She recovers and grabs her attacker’s shoulder. Her knee jams straight into a masked face. The body crumbles to the ground. 

To her right, Sanya dances around four foes. She combines water bending and hand to hand combat to take them down with ease. 

To her left Lin takes on three mechs at once. Beyond the woman, her eye catches a dreadful sight. A lone mech. Within it, Hiroshi’s blank face staring at Asami. She refuses to look away. A chill runs down her spine. His eyes shift. They hone in on Lin. The corner of his mouth twitches into a smile. Dread bores a hole into her chest. 

Asami’s feet launch off the ground as she begins to sprint toward Lin. She is yanked backward. Her right shoulder sends pain down her arm. Her cable is tangled around a mangled mess of iron rebars. There is no way she can remove it in time. This cable is connected to the pulley system on her back, removing this alone would be impossible right now. She rips off her top and bolts toward Lin. 

“Lin!” She screams. 

The world slows in her eyes. Small balls of blue flame leaves the mech’s arm. Her mind flashes back to the night they lost Toph. She refuses to lose Lin too. The projectiles close in on Lin. She pushes her body forward and tackles the woman. She twists her body. A single projectile hits her between the shoulders. A burning pain pulsates through her body. She does her best to quell a scream, but she fails. It is too much pain for her body to contain. She wails through gritted teeth. Tears roll down her eyes. She drops to her knees. She looks up to see large emerald eyes staring at her. Her hands release their grip in Lin’s arm. Her body feels heavy. She drops to the floor. Her brain rattles in her skull as her head hits the ground. Gravel scratches her cheek. The pain coursing through her body makes her tired. The sounds of people yelling are muffled in her ears. She opens her eyes to find the head of a statue before her. Cloudy eyes give her a blank stare. Tears stream down her face. The head of Toph’s statue lies several meters away from its body. Asami’s head feels heavy. Her eye lids feel like lead blocks, she lets them fall. _Don’t give in now kid, you’re almost there. Hang in there for a bit longer okay? Hang in there._ She hears Toph’s voice in her head. Her mouth curls into a small grin. 

“Asami!” A voices calls out to her. It has become painful to open her eyes. 

A blurry face with blue eyes and white hair greets her. Sanya kneels before her. The water bender picks her up and holds her steady by the shoulders. Her body is too heavy for her to carry on her own. The pain pulsing from her back is too much to bear. 

“Stay awake for me okay?” Sanya speaks into her ear. 

She does her best to stay awake, but the static in her head begins to lull her to sleep. She falls into a pit of black.

Asami crawls out of darkness. The water bender shuffles, but she does not know what she is doing. Sanya’s body tenses. The breath from a soft grunt tickles Asami’s ear.

“You’re going to be okay. You’re going to finish this and make us all proud.” Her words are strained. 

Heat on her back spreads throughout her body. Warmth over takes pain. The warmth she wanted so desperately to feel on her mother’s body, she feels now. Her muscles tingle, then relax. 

“Keep your eyes closed for me, okay?” Sanya whispers into her ear. 

Asami obeys. 

The heat on her back relaxes her body so much, she thinks she might never want to leave the water bender’s arms. 

“Thank you, Asami. Thank you so much.” Sanya’s words are soft. 

Asami keeps her eyes closed. Her hand feels something wet and warm, but her fuzzy head will not register what this sensation it might be. Sanya takes her in her arms and lies her down on her side. 

“You’re my forever girl, please remember that.” Sanya’s voice is rough in her ear. 

Asami feels the water bender’s hand slide down her back and disappear. She lies on her side, breathing in the scent of dirt and smoke. She remembers the sight of Toph’s statue and the sound of her voice in her head.The sounds of the battle rage on around her. Someone screams behind her, forcing her eyes open. With one deep inhale she sits up. A breeze cools the bare skin on her back. She reaches back to feel wet, tender skin. She winces at her own touch. The front of her shirt and her hands are covered in blood. She does not know if it is her own. She gets to her feet, her eyes scan the area for Lin. Police officers and equalist foot soldiers continue to fight. Only two equalist mechs still stand. More burning piles of rubble litter the city street. The moon has risen much too early, as the sun has just begun to set. _What are you doing here?_ She thinks. The sight of the moon in a crimson sky fills her with dread. 

She turns around. Her eyes widen, her hands clasp together around her mouth. She runs to a body near a slab of metal. Sanya spams in a pool of blood. Her chest rises and falls with each shallow breath as she tries to get to her feet. She hears the girl struggle to breath. Sanya holds a bloodied boomerang in one hand. Her shirt is torn, along with the skin below her rib. Asami’s heart drops. Every ounce of hope in her body escapes with one shattering wail. She drops to the girl’s side. Her lip trembles. She cannot cry. Not today. 

Tears from her eyes fall onto the water bender’s face. They wash away the dirt caked onto her face.

“Sanya.” She sweeps aside hair from the girl’s face. “Sanya!” Her voice cracks. 

The girl’s eyes flicker open. Her lips curl into a small grin. “Hey you.” Her voice is weak. 

“What happened? How did this,” She chokes on the lump in her throat. 

A blast rocks the ground. She shields Sanya with her own body. The water bender’s wound refuses to stop gushing. Asami panics. She has nothing but the shirt on her back to cover the wound. She tears off the bottom portion of her shirt and presses it to the water bender’s wound. 

“Lin!” Her voice shatters. “Pebble! Someone! Help!” Her body begins to shake. 

“I’m proud of you.” Sanya manages to say. Tears roll down her face from half open eyes. 

Asami’s body shudders. A memory of her mother pops into her head. She cannot bear to have this girl join her mother today.

“Don’t say that.” Her voice shakes. “Please, don’t say that. Not now.” She cannot keep herself from weeping. She does her best to steady the shaking hand covering the girl’s wound. 

A bloody hand takes her face. “Look at you. Covered in blood and dirt. You’re beautiful.” Sanya breaths. 

A small laugh manages to make its way through her sobs. She presses her face into Sanya’s hand. “Smooth talker.” She manages to say through sobs. 

She rests her head on the water bender’s chest. Her heart beat is slow. Much too slow for her comfort. She trembles with each sob. She cannot silence her weeping. 

“Asami?” Lin’s voice is low and brings little comfort. “Li will be here soon.” 

She nods, but she does not look up. 

“Her heartbeat,” The woman’s voice cracks. 

“I know.” Asami lifts her head and looks up. The full moon has become brighter amongst the backdrop of the sunset. “Help her!” She screams at silver orb in the sky. “Why don’t you help her!” 

“Asami.” Sanya calls out to her. She coughs up blood. “Please don’t be angry with her.” 

Lin stands watch over the girls. Sending boulders and metal daggers at anyone who comes close. Pebble comes jogging toward them. 

“Please, don’t leave me.” 

The water bender smiles, the life slips from her eyes. “I told you.” She struggles to speak. “I’m not,” She gasps for air as blood drips from her mouth. “I’m not leaving you.”

“Tenzin and Korra are about to leave. I have to take her now.” Pebble keeps his distance.

Asami collapses into the water bender’s chest again. Her stomach churns as though it might expel its contents. Her chest is aches, the burden of sorrow becomes much too heavy for her to bear. She cannot bear to be away from her, not now. But, she cannot leave. She must end this. 

“Asami, I have to take her now.” Pebble’s voice is gentle. 

“Sanya, you promised. You promised me, do you remember?” 

The water bender smiles. She brings up her hand and sticks out her pinky finger. Asami hooks it with her own. Sanya brings Asami’s hand to lips and kisses it. Blood from the girl’s lips stains her hand. She cannot contain her sobs. Her shoulders shake. Her face is wet with her body purging despair it can no longer carry. 

Asami releases her grip on the blood soaked fabric on Sanya’s side. The water bender drops her hand. 

“You better come back to me.” Asami whispers into the girl’s ear. 

The water bender brings up the boomerang and drops it in Asami’s lap. “Boomerang baby, I’ll always-“ She cannot finish her sentence. Blood dribbles out of her mouth. Her eyes remain shut. 

Pebble takes the girl in her arms. “It is Sanya this time, my dear.” He says. 

Asami shakes her head. She is left on her knees as Pebble jogs away. She stares at blood dripping from a limp hand. Burning fury replaces her despair. 

Lin sends a slab of earth into a group of equalists. She comes around the girl’s side and puts her hand on her back. “Aunt Katara will take care of her.” Her voice is no longer stern and steady, but shaky and uncertain. “She’s,” the woman’s voice falters. “She’s a fighter.”

The hand leaves her back. From the corner of her eye she sees Lin engage three masked attackers. She hits them more times than necessary. 

Asami stares at her bloodied hands. Rivers of tears have carved valleys into the red on her palms. A sadistic cackling sets fire to her veins. 

“Crying over that ice dog of yours? What’s her name? Sanya? Oh my, what would Amai think if she saw that.” Hiroshi mocks. 

Asami lets out a cry that would make dragons cower before her. She slams a fist into the ground. “You don’t get to say their names!” Her voice echoes down the street. 

The fighting around her stops. Humans and machines alike are motionless. Asami rises to her feet. The boomerang clatters onto the concrete. Her jaw is tense and brow furrowed. Dirt and blood coat her face. Her own blood acts as war paint. She clenches her fists. Sheets of metal and iron bars hover a meter off the ground. A stray tear rolls down her face. The last she will shed for this man.

“Oh, is that so?” 

“You don’t get to talk anymore.” Her words strike fear in every equalist within earshot. 

Hiroshi raises the arms of his mech. She hears the mech preparing to fire.  

“Don’t just stand there you idiots! Fight!” Hiroshi yells from the cockpit. 

“I’ll handle the rest.” Lin shouts from behind her. 

The first thing Asami thinks to do is remove her boots. She slides her feet out of her boots. The ground is hot. Smoldering chips of rock and steel pierce the soles of her feet. She closes her eyes, relying only on her ears. The mech fires. She jabs the air before her. A block of steel flies past her and into the mech’s arm. It misfires. She can hear the fighting behind her. The ground rumbles beneath her bare feet. Hiroshi’s is the only active unit of the larger mechs. Three smaller models still function behind her. 

Her legs bend into horse stance. She stomps her foot into the ground and executes a sharp upper cut. A wall of iron rises and diffuses a second blast. She raises a hand behind her, a steel spear skewers a smaller mech coming toward her from behind. 

“Traitor! How dare you!” Hiroshi taunts. “What would your mother think!”

Asami is motionless. The words of her mother resonate in her mind. Her mother is proud of her. Not an ounce of doubt pollutes her mind. She cannot see Hiroshi’s face, but she knows he thinks he has the upper hand. The mech whirrs to life again. 

“Give up! Unless you want to join that ice savage and that dirt woman!”

She hears the gears in its arm churn. Steam whistles as it is being released. She waits. The whirring builds. More steam is released. She hears a click just before the whirring stops. She punches through the air. A slab of iron from a fallen mech whizzes past her and folds itself into a ball. It jams itself into the barrel in the mech’s arm. Hiroshi screams. 

She swings her arms up, a wall of metal shields her from the blast. All is quiet. The crackling of flames and the howling of the wind is all she hears. She opens her eyes. Asami waits. The sound of a mech falling to its knees echoes throughout. 

Through the dust, she sees a ball of blue flame flying towards her. Asami steps aside and allows the flaming ball to zip by her. She stomps her foot into the ground and slides her foot forward. A palm stabs the space before her. She finds the boomerangs and kicks it into the cloud. 

The dust settles. Hiroshi is pinned to the carcass of his mech by iron rebars. The boomerang keeps his neck in place. His glasses lay broken on the ground. A trickle of blood runs down his forehead. He struggles to break free, but the rebars will not give. Around her, the remaining equalists fall to their knees. The police are quick to arrest them. 

Asami walks toward him. Her gaze does not falter. She feels nothing as she stares at this man, a man she once called her father. He refuses to meet her eyes. 

“It’s over Hiroshi.” Her fingers wrap around the boomerang as she yanks it out of the mech. 

She turns around to find Lin standing by the body of her mother’s statue. Beyond her, the avatar stands at the base of the stairway leading into the station. Tenzin watches her from atop Oogie. She can see Pebble and Jet in the bison’s carriage. A head of white hair lies unmoving in the man’s lap. 

“You would turn your back on your own family!” Hiroshi screams. 

She keeps her eyes forward. “No. I would never turn my back on my family.” She looks to Lin.

The woman nods. 

She turns to the nearest police officers. “Arrest him.” 

Three men do not hesitate to follow her order. 

She walks to the head of Toph’s statue and falls to her knees. Memories of the woman fill her mind. 

“I did it. Sifu, I did it.” She runs her fingers along an earthen face. 

“Hey.” Lin crouches beside her and rubs her back. “Are you all right?” 

Asami does not answer right away. She stares at Toph’s face. Her jaw tenses. “She needs a new statue.” 

Lin nods. “She does.” The woman gets to her feet and turns around. “Let’s give her one right now.” 

Asami watches her. 

Lin stomps a bloody foot into the ground. She inhales and closes her eyes. She is motionless. The ground begins to shake. Debris clears from the spot several meters before them. A crack forms in the ground. Bubbling magma rises to the surface. With a grunt Lin takes a step forward and raises both her hands with her palm facing the sky. Lava shots upward. All eyes, police and equalist alike, stare in awe of the woman’s power. The lava takes the shape of a person, of Toph. The fallen earth bender’s signature bun forms. Her neck, shoulders, torso. An extended arm forms, she points forward. Her legs and bare feet take shape. She stands atop a block of earth. Lin cools the lava slightly.

Asami skips to her feet. With a grunt, she throws her fists forward. Slabs of steel and chunks of iron fly forward and embed themselves into the molten rock. They become the statue’s metal bending uniform. Lin brings her arms down and exhales. The statues cools with unbelievable speed. The glistening obsidian statue watches over them. Asami stares in awe. This Toph bears a small smirk as a finger points at her. She recalls all their hours of training, her laugh, her voice. Tears fall from tired green eyes. She thought she would never see the woman smile at her again. 

Lin envelops her in a hug. “She would be so proud.”

Asami says nothing. She clutches the woman’s shirt and buries her face in her shoulder. Her back hiccups with each sob. She is much too exhausted to quell her cries. Tears fall freely. She cannot decide if they fall for relief or sorrow. Her body collapses in Lin’s embrace. She wonders if this day marks the end of her sorrow, or the beginning of new grief. 

 

 

 

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

_Former Future Industries President Sentenced To Life in Prison._ All the newspapers display the same headlines. She did not bother to read what they have to say about the ordeal, or what they have to say about her. She knows the truth. She takes the pile of newspapers in her lap and tosses them under her seat. The company accountants and members of the board argue about the future of the company. Asami tunes them out. There is no way to pull the company out of this bottomless pit of quicksand. The men and women in the room begin screaming at one another. She remains quiet. 

She fiddles with a steel-plated pen on the desk before her. With each flick of her finger it sways, jumps, twirls, and spins. All her concentration is focused on making this pen dance. Her mind still has a hard time processing the fact that she is now able to bend. Most people would be ecstatic to have this new ability. Asami is not most people. She releases her control over the pen and sits back in her chair. This new part of her does not fit as well as she hoped. Flashes of her time in the badger mole cave enter her mind. She shakes them out of her thoughts. How could she feel this way after all she’s been through? 

She refuses to allow any memories enter her mind. Asami rubs the newly formed scar below her eye. Scenes of the battle five days prior flash in her mind. She buries each memory. Again. It has become a habit. Her jaw tightens. The pen stands stiff. She turns away from the table and looks out the window. 

A group of children walk down the sidewalk below. A goat dog follows, bouncing about and absorbing the children’s chipper attitude. A taller girl towards the back of the group throws a bowed stick. The goat dog hops after it as it arches in the air and begins to make its way back to the girl who threw it. It falls several meters away from the girl, never making it back into her hands. Her eyes fall to her lap. She stares at the sky bison adorned bandage covering her right wrist. A lump forms in Asami’s throat. She hears the pen clatter onto the desk. Tears well in her eyes, but she does not allow them to fall. 

“Miss Sato?” A woman’s voice calls her out of her thoughts. 

“Yes? I’m sorry, what was that?” Asami snaps back into her chair. 

“Ma’am,” A man with glasses to her left begins. “So many shareholders have pulled out, our partners have as well. I don’t know how we’ll have enough money to keep producing and to rebuild the factory and the company’s image. We’re in the red ma’am.”

“It would be best for us to declare bankruptcy now” A woman in a red suit to her right adds. “We simply do not have the money and profits have plummeted since…” Her words trail off. All eyes in the room fall to the floor. 

Asami nods in understanding. 

“If I may interject ma’am,” A man in a black suit gets to his feet. “I don’t think we should declare bankruptcy just yet. I think if we look hard enough we can actually-“

“Oh Jin, not this again!” The woman exclaims. 

“Hear him out! We can’t just give up!” Another man shouts. 

“We’re already drowning. Who could possibly pull us out!” Another woman adds. 

“Well, have you looked lately Kirin!” The woman directly across from Asami shouts. 

She shuts her eyes and grits her teeth. Her concentration falters. Thoughts buried, rise from their grave. They do not have the chance to manifest fully. 

The door flies open. Asami is tense in her seat, ready to pounce into a fighting stance. 

“Am I late?” Lin walks into the room, the tail of her coat flutters behind her. She instantly takes control of the room.

A young woman follows the metal bender. She keeps her face hidden behind a stack of folders. 

Lin makes eye contact with Asami and motions for the girl to relax. She obeys. A sigh of relief leaves her lips. She has no intention of ruining her new skirt. 

“Chief Beifong, is something wrong?” The man with glasses asks. 

“There is something wrong. Why isn’t there a cup of tea in my hand right now?” 

“Yes, of course Chief.” The man scurries past Lin. 

“I’m not chief anymore. Why does everyone keep calling me that?” She stands by the door and waves to the girl carrying the folders. “Jung Ae, please.”

“Right, yes okay.” The girl’s meek voice struggles to reach Asami’s ears

She stumbles on her own feet. The folders fall onto the table. “Sorry! So, so sorry about that.” She straightens her glasses and coughs. Jung Ae sorts out her folders and takes out a stack of papers. “We’re here to read a part of the last will and testament of Chief Toph Beifong.” She clears her throat. 

The man with glasses enters the room and hands Lin a cup of tea. The metal bender is calm. She nods as a sign of gratitude for her tea. Asami’s eyes dart from Lin to Jung Ae. 

“Pertaining to one, Asami Sato.” Jung Ae looks up and smiles at Asami. “That’s you, right?” 

Asami nods. The gears in her mind churn. Lin’s iron demeanor will not reveal a single thing. 

“Right, okay. To Asami Sato, Chief Toph Beifong leaves the sum of three hundred million yuans to be used to fund Future Industries. In addition, the full backing of all affiliated with the Beifong corporation.”

Asami is frozen with shock. Her mouth hangs open, unable to speak. Her mind crashes, unable to process the words this girl has just spoken. 

“There’s also a note from the former Chief, shall I read it?” Jung Ae clings to the paper and looks to Lin. 

“Ask Asami. It is addressed to her isn’t it?” Lin takes a sip of tea. “Asami?”

The girl is frozen. Her mind is nothing but pure static. Her head nods. 

Jung Ae clears her throat. “Should I just read this as is or would you prefer that I-“

“Jung Ae.” Lin says. “Please, just read the note.” 

The girl nods and fidgets before clearing her throat again. “Hey kiddo, if you’re reading this it means I’m not around anymore. That doesn’t mean you get to slack off on training! Well, you’re part of the family now so I thought I’d leave you with a little something. Don’t worry about it okay? It’s just chump change for me. Not a lot at all. Take care of my goofy niece for me please? I left her a bit more and I really don’t think Lin would appreciate her buying a zoo or something.”

Asami swallows a lump in her throat. She looks away, hiding the tears forming in her eyes. 

“Make sure my little Linorra doesn’t slack off. She’s in charge of helping your company, make sure to remind her. And Asami please, don’t cry okay? Don’t cry. You’re not alone anymore. I may be gone, but I’ll never leave you. We can’t replace the family you lost, I know that. But we love you just the same. You’re my niece too remember.” Jung Ae coughs. Her throat is not accustomed to doing this much talking. “And she has signed it, love Aunt Toph.” She places the sheet of paper on the table and retrieves a check from a another folder. 

Asami reaches for a bottle of water. Her mind is still unable to process what she has just heard. Tears roll down her face, though she is not aware. Her chest begins to ache, as though it is much too full.

“Moving to our second bit of business, if I may.” She looks to Lin for permission. 

The metal bender nods. 

Jung Ae pulls out yet another stack of papers. She begins to read. “On behalf of Fire Lord Irah and Lady Azula, the Fire Nation royal family extends its full support to Future Industries and its president, Asami Sato.”

Asami chokes on her water and steadies herself on the table. 

“We offer this donation of two hundred million yuans.”

Asami is left awestruck. Her mouth hangs open as she gapes at the at the folders on the table. The man with glasses topples to the floor. The rest of the board sits motionless in their chairs. 

“Umm. If I may clear this up.” Jung Ae’s meek voice is the only sound to be heard. “The Fire Nation royal family and the Beifong corporation are now, or rather will be partners of Future Industries. And will aid in any repairs.”

“Well,” Lin sets her empty cup on the table. “I guess that makes me one of you. I say we move the main factory to Ba Sing Se and expand it while the one here is being rebuilt.” She turns to Asami. “What do you say Miss President?”

For a moment Asami forgets to breathe. She nods. Her chest is heavy with emotion, her mind a flurry of all the different ways she would like to express her gratitude. 

“Jung Ae, I think she has some things to sign.” Lin’s eyes target the bandage on Asami’s wrist. “How’s that healing? Can you still write? Just put some scribbles if you can’t.”

The girl adjusts her glasses and stumbles over her folders. “Right, one more bit of business. That’s actually business.” A nervous laugh leaves her lips. “The Southern Water Tribe has commissioned quite a large order. It seems they want new boats and snow mobiles for their military.” She slides several sheets of paper over to Asami, along with checks that display an unbelievable amount of zeroes. 

Asami’s elbows hit the table. Her head falls into her hands as she stares at the paperwork before her. Her heart swells with gratitude that words cannot possibly express. The clouds of confusion and sorrow in her mind settle, raindrops fall from her eyes. She stares at the desk with her mouth agape. 

“You’ll get the paperwork wet.” Lin says from behind her. The metal bender wipes Asami’s face with a handkerchief. The woman’s touch is surprisingly delicate. She brings Asami’s right arm down and places a pen in her hand. “Right then, sign here, here, here and initial where indicated.” She points to various spots on each sheet of paper. 

Asami obeys, or rather her hand complies and signs where it must. 

“The rest of you can take care of the rest right? We’ve got a ferry to catch.” 

Everyone in the room nods yes. 

“Jung Ae, stay with them and make sure everything is in order. And please call me when you are finished, I don’t need you getting lost again.” 

The girl flushes before nodding yes. She adjusts her glasses before taking a seat and hiding behind the stack of folders on the desk. 

Asami sets the pen down and lays her hands on the desk. “I’m still not entirely sure I understand what just happened here.” She manages to say. 

“You signed life back into your company.” Lin takes her by the arm, pulls her to her feet and out the door.

 

The afternoon sun warms her face. Asami leans on the railing of the ferry and stares into the water. She loses herself in the velvet blanket of blue and white. The sun’s reflection drops diamonds into the sea. She breathes in the salty air and allows it to fill her. She rests her head on her arms. It has become heavy with thoughts. She closes her eyes and exhales. Her mind focuses on the vibrations she feels while holding onto the metal rail. She is alone on the deck. But not for long. A mountain stands beside her. She does not move. 

“Thanks.” Lin says. “For saving me.” 

Asami shakes her head. “Don’t worry about it. We’re family now right?” 

The metal bender pats Asami’s shoulder. Her eyes soften as she exhales. 

“Can you tell me what happened, after I went down?” She exhales. 

“Are you sure you’re ready to talk about it?” 

Asami strands straight up, her hands clutch the rail. She meets Lin’s iron gaze and nods. 

“I went after him. I was so angry, seeing you like that.” She leans on the rail and stares at the water. “Reminded me of mom the day she died. I was just so angry.” 

Her jaw stiffens. Her grip on the rail tightens. 

“I may have lost it a bit. I thought I’d killed him.” A sad grin appears on her face. “My stupid niece. She did a, how should call this, a run-by healing.”

“What?” Asami manages to ask through the lump in her throat. 

“She healed your father. Not as thoroughly as she’s healed others, but it was enough to get him into another one of those things.”

Her mouth hangs open. Confusion once again clouds her mind. “Why?” She says a little too loudly.

“She knows what it’s like to kill a man and she knows what it’s like to lose a father. She didn’t want that for you.” 

“Did he hit her? Is that how she,” Her voice cracks. 

Lin inhales. She turns to face Asami. Her eyes are soft, on the verge of tears. “I hoped Sanya would be the one to tell you this. I feel I have no place to do so. But considering the circumstances, I feel I need to for her sake and yours.”

Asami’s heart drops. Her confusion cannot be contained, it manifests on her face. Her wrist begins to ache as her grip tenses. 

“Do you know about the story of the moon spirit?” 

Asami’s patience begins to run thin. Her anxieties fill her chest. “She gave her life to become the moon spirit.”

Lin nods. “The moon gave her life. When Tui was murdered, Yue returned the favor. Sanya holds some of that life energy. That’s why she’s such a powerful bender. That’s why her hair is like that. And, as I’m sure you’ve seen, that’s why she has those particular tattoos.” She pauses and swallows the memory rising from her throat. “But it comes at a cost.”

“Lin, what are telling me?” The gears in Asami’s mind begins to churn. Her thoughts race, desperate to make sense of this conversation. 

“Do you remember when I told you about this scar?” She taps her face, ignoring the girl’s question. 

She nods. 

“I didn’t tell you all of it. It was a nasty wound, I would have bled out if it weren’t for Sanya. She healed me. Little, tiny Sanya healed me. But, she doesn’t heal like other water benders.” 

Asami tilts her head as the memory of their first meeting enters her thoughts. _I’m not like other water benders._ Sanya’s voice echoess in her head. 

“She blood bends. Using her own blood and life energy. She was out cold for a week after that. All those little cuts on her arm… She feels so obligated to heal us. That stupid girl.” The woman’s voice cracks. She takes a moment to pull herself out of a memory. “She’s never been able to heal very well with water, but when she uses blood…” The metal bender tenses. She looks at the girl with wet eyes. “She can bring back the dead.” 

She shakes her head. She can no longer prevent her tears from falling. Breathing becomes difficult as the cage around her heart can no longer contain the beating beast within. She covers her mouth with her hand, doing her best to quiet her cries. 

“Your heart stopped Asami. I felt it myself. You were gone. She pulled you back. She needed a lot of blood to do it, but she did it.” 

“No, no, no. You’re lying. No.” Asami whimpers between sobs. 

“Maybe if she hadn’t healed him before… I don’t know.” 

Images of a bloodied Sanya filled her mind. The day after her venture down the badger mole cave. The day her factory was attacked. Waking up to find blood stained arms holding her up. Asami’s heart drops into a pit of despair. Tears cause her make-up to run down her face. She shudders as she weeps. Her body is much too tired from a week of sleepless nights. She begins to shiver.  

“We made her promise not to tell anyone. We didn’t know how people would react, what they might do to her if they found out. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” Tears fall from Lin’s eyes, but her voice remains steady. “Mom told me we should tell you, but I couldn’t risk you getting hurt too if the equalists or anyone else somehow found out.” She reaches out for the girl’s shoulder. 

Asami steps away from the woman’s hand. She can only shake her head no, hoping she has misheard everything that was just said. Her chest hiccups with each cry. Sorrow strikes her chest while rage drowns her mind. 

“It was her choice, her sacrifice. She just wanted you to live and be happy.”

“She’s so stupid!” She cries. Her hand crushes the rail. “How could I live a happy life is she’s not in it!” She turns her back to Lin.

Her body spasms as she struggles to breath. Her eyes are sore as the salty wind dries tears that have yet to fall. 

“My niece is an idiot.” A small laugh laces Lin’s words. 

Asami hides her face in her hands. Her shoulders hiccup with each sob. Her stomach ties itself into knots. She feels as though she might lose her breakfast. Images of the smiling water bender fill her mind. Her body feels weak, as though the purging of her sorrow has become too much for it to handle. 

“Please.” She hears Lin’s low voice behind her. 

She takes a deep breath and steadies her breathing. Asami turns to face the metal bender. The woman’s extended hand offers her a handkerchief. A tiny flying boar is embroidered in the corner with white thread. It jumps out against the pastel green fabric. 

Asami’s shoulders drop. The last bit of her rage and despair escape through her lips, leaving her exhausted. She takes the handkerchief and wipes away the mess her tears have left on her face. She notices her name stitched in red on the bottom corner of the handkerchief. 

“Thank you.” She stuffs it into her pocket. 

Lin nods an exhales. She leans onto the rail again. The shore of Air Temple Island rapidly approaches. 

“Lin, really. Thank you for everything.” 

The woman shrugs. “Don’t worry about it.”

Asami nods. “Lin, she called me her forever girl. What does that mean?”

The woman exhales a small laugh. “Better ask Aunt Katara about that.” 

She takes her place beside Lin. Her body begins to relax. 

“You okay?” 

“I will be” She sighs. 

“Asami, I really am sorry.”

She can think of nothing to say. She is not angry with Lin. She understands the woman had good intentions. She punches Lin’s arm. The metal bender smiles. Whatever sorrows plagued her vanish.

The women stand together in silence the rest of the way. There is no one on shore to greet them. She runs her ringers along the portion of the rail she crushed. A pang of guilt hits her. She never wanted to do this. Doubts about her new abilities rise, burying whatever positive thoughts she may have had about it. She wonders if she should tell Lin, but after all the woman and her mother did for her, how could say she did not want to be like them?

The boat slows as it begins to dock. 

“I should apologize for this.” She grabs her bag and prepares to leave. 

Lin runs a hand over the rail. Asami hears the metal creak beneath the woman’s hand. Once her hand passes, a unscathed rail reveals itself. 

“Mom would have been so excited to see you metal bend.” Lin picks up her purse and walks away. “I was so proud of you that day.” 

She exhales, preparing herself for whatever rage the woman might unleash. “Lin, I don’t want to be,”

“It wasn’t just the bending, Asami. You stood your ground. Faced something… Someone you were afraid of. Sure your bending was excellent, but after what happened you kept going. You kept going. I’m proud of you for all that. I couldn’t care less if you can bend or not.”

Asami nods as she follows. Her eyes light up as she remembers a certain sketch in her notebook. She rummages through her bag as she walks behind Lin. They step off the boat and onto the shore. She pulls out her sketchbook and jogs to Lin’s side. 

“Umm. I didn’t think I would actually get to build this, but now I think I might be able to.” She flips through pages of unfinished sketches and tidbits of journal entries. 

The metal bender continues to walk as she glances down at the girl’s book. 

“I thought maybe the police force could use something like this.”

“I’m not-“

“Chief anymore, I know. But I still need your approval.” Asami interjects. 

She holds out her sketchbook. The pages are titled _The Boar._ Rough blueprints of a compact car take up most of the blank pages. A drawings of Toph and Lin fill the margins. The metal bender stops mid stride and takes the book from from Asami’s hand. 

“I tried to make it as compact as possible, but still able to accommodate two Pebble-sized men at least. It’s close to the ground so it’s fast, but it has all terrain wheels in case you decide to drive through a desert or something. It’s all bendable metal too.” Asami blurts out. She inhales, preparing to throw more information in Lin’s way.  

The woman holds up a hand. “You did all these?”

Asami nods yes.

Lin begins to walk, her eyes still on the book. Asami keeps up and walks beside the woman. With her eyes on the ground, she rubs the sleeves of her coat with apprehension. She cannot help but think the woman is angry with her. The thought that perhaps Lin might laugh and dismiss her drawings crosses her mind. 

They walk in silence the rest of the way. Lin with her eyes on the same two pages of Asami’s sketchbook and the girl clawing at her coat sleeves beside her. They reach the door to the main house. 

Lin shuts the book in her hand. “Take a break first okay? Then get to building that. I’d like to take a test drive.” 

She smiles and hits Asami’s arm with the notebook before handing it back to her. “You know, the Earth Queen offered me a job. It’d be nice if I could use this for that job.”

The girl smiles. “Really?”

“Really.”

“That’s amazing. Congratulations. I’ll work on this personally.”

“It’s nice to see you smiling again.” Lin walks into the house. 

Asami stays on the porch. The tiny grin on her face remains as she stuffs her sketchbook back into her bag. She takes a deep breath and makes her way into the house. She takes the handkerchief from her pocket and wipes away smudges of make-up under her eyes and on her cheeks.  

Muffled words and the clattering of silverware echo down the hall from the kitchen. It is too late for lunch and a bit too early for dinner, but it never seems to be a bad time for tea and snacks. A part of her wants to join them in the kitchen. Perhaps, tonight will be the night she actually joins them for dinner. Perhaps. 

She shakes the thought out of her head and makes her way down the hallway. The sounds from the kitchen fade. A baby cries in one of the rooms. She turns her head toward the sound and pauses. Asami thinks she might find that room and help Pema with her infant son. The child becomes silent upon hearing the voice of his father. 

A door opens at the end of the hall. Her neck is quick to snap toward that direction. Asami is still as nerves begin to take over her body. She looks up to find Katara walking toward her with a warm smile on her face. 

The girl bows. 

“Oh no need for that anymore.” Katara waves away her gesture. A small blue vial dangles on a leather necklace between the woman’s fingers. 

Asami cannot help but stare at the vial. “I like your… Umm… Necklace?”

“Spirit water dear. Lin told me she would tell you about a certain aspect of Sanya. Did she?” 

Her eyes drop upon hearing the girl’s name. She can only respond with a slow nod. She exhales. Her breath takes its time leaving her lungs. 

“How are you holding up?” The woman takes Asami’s injured wrist in her hands and gives it a gentle pat. 

“I’m all right. Thank you for asking. And thank you again for healing me. I am incredibly grateful.”  

“It’s what I do.” Pride exudes from her words. Yet, her voice stays humble and soft. 

“I also want to thank you for everything. Especially for the business from the Southern Water Tribe.” She takes a deep breath. “I really, really, really appreciate that. I mean, that is if you had anything to do with that.” 

The older woman shakes her head. “It’s nothing to worry about it.”

“Still, I am beyond grateful.” 

Katara nods. “I’ve seen you use my brother’s boomerang.”

Asami stands straight up. “Oh! I’m so sorry. I’m assuming you want that back!”

“It’s best not to assume my dear. What would I do with it? He would have much preferred it to go to someone who would use it as intended.” She leans close to the girl. “Instead of a toy for her wolf.” She laughs. “He would have loved you, you know. He loved all that mechanical stuff. Was a bit of an inventor himself.” Despite her smile, grief weighs down her words.

Asami flushes. “That’s kind of you to say ma’am. I wish I could have met him.” She chews on her lip and stares at her feet. “May I ask you something?”

“Of course.” 

“I asked Lin before, but she told me it was best to ask you. What exactly is a forever girl?”

Katara laughs. 

Asami looks up in surprise. Katara releases her hand and covers her mouth. Her eyes shine bright in the dim lighting. For a moment, Asami thinks she sees Katara as she was when she was her age, not the elderly woman she has come to know. 

“Did you hear that from Sanya?” Her laughter dies down. 

“I did.” Her cheeks burn red. 

“Did she also ask you to go penguin sledding with her?” 

“She may have mentioned it.” 

“Those were just a few things Aang said to me before we got married. In fact, we went penguin sledding on our honeymoon.” Her lips curl into a sad smile. 

A lump forms in Asami’s throat. She remembers the way Katara looked up at her husband’s statue. Her chest feels tight against her clothes. Her grip on her bag becomes tighter. Will she suffer the same fate? 

Katara takes the girl’s face in her hands pulls her down, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. The woman smiles and pats her arm as she walks by. Asami turns and watches her disappear down the hall. 

Her gaze falls to the floor. She watches her feet shuffle across the floor. Her heart beats against its cage. An image enters her mind. Katara sits on a chair beside her bedridden husband as his life slips away. Tears fall from her eyes, with the hope that they will heal this unbearable wound and her beloved will be alive and well. The more she focuses on this image, the more she sees herself and Sanya. She bangs her head on the door. Once to shake away the images out of her mind and again to shake away the fear creeping up her spine. She takes a deep breath before opening the door and entering the room. She keeps her head down and her eyes on her feet. 

A wolf greets her with a cooing howl. 

“Hey Jet.” She manages to say.

“I don’t get a hey?” A raspy voice calls out. 

Asami drops her bag. She looks up to see a weak smile on a tired face. Bathed in the light of the setting sun, silvery white hair falls over sleepy blue eyes. Her purse hits the floor, the sound of plastic clattering onto the hardwood floor covers up the sound of her heavy breathing. 

She rushes to the side of the bed and takes a seat on the clean white covers. “Hey.” She mutters. 

Sanya smiles and struggles to sit up against the headboard. Beneath her chest wrap, dressing covers her entire torso. A line of blood stains the white bandages adorned with sky bisons. She gives a grimace of pain before pushing a curtain of silver hair out of her face. She wears red arm sleeves and silk red pajama bottoms embellished with golden dragons. She is certain they are gifts from her aunt Azula. 

Asami can do nothing but stare at her. A rush of emotions forms a lump in her throat. All the nights she spent reciting what she would say if Sanya ever woke up were in vain, now she cannot find the words. 

“How are you?” Her voice is raspy. She takes a small glass of water from the nightstand and devours its contents. 

Jet whines and claws at the sheets tumbling over the bed. Asami puts her hand on his nose, her eyes glued on the water bender. The wolf quiets down. 

Her chest rises and falls. A wave of sadness and anger fill her mind. The fingers on her right hand curl around the edge of a small throw pillow at Sanya’s feet. She ignores the dull ache in her wrist. The other becomes a fist in her lap. Her jaw trembles, desperate to keep from allowing a cry to escape. 

“Asami?” Sanya tilts her head to the side as she sets the glass onto the nightstand. A tiny smile makes an attempt at reassurance. 

Asami finally exhales. She sends the throw pillow flying at Sanya’s head. “Why didn’t you tell me!” She cries. Her hands begin assaulting the girl with light slaps and a pillow. “You could’ve died!” She cries. 

Jet whines at her feet. She hears his nails scratching the floorboards. 

“Asami.” Sanya’s voice is soft. She puts her hands up, but does not defend herself.

“Why are you so stupid!” Tears begin to stream down Asami’s face. Tired eyes once again unleash a storm for this girl. “Why didn’t you tell me!” She shuts her eyes, doing her best to stop the oncoming flood. “Why did you do that!” 

“Asami.”

“You’re so stupid.” Asami’s chest tightens. She feels a sudden onset of exhaustion. Her rage has run its course. She drops the pillow. “You’re such an idiot.” 

Sanya pulls her in and wraps her arms around her neck. “But I’m your idiot.” She murmurs. 

Asami collapses onto her chest. The water bender’s shoulder muffles her cries. She inhales the scent of lavender and moon lilies. Asami’s hands slide up the girl’s back, desperately searching for skin, but only finding bandages. 

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I made you hurt this much. I’m so sorry.” Sanya breathes into her ear. 

Asami pulls away. Her hands find Sanya’s face. Her skin is warm. 

“I’m here. I’m okay. You’re okay?” She tilts her head and flashes the smile that won Asami’s heart. 

Her weary green eyes swim in tears. Sanya waves her hand. Asami’s tears fall from her eyes and fly into the girl’s hand. A small rose appears in her palm. She places it in Asami’s hand. She is saved from drowning by her water bender. She nods yes and does her best to smile. She holds onto the icy rose much too tightly as it melts in her fist. 

Sanya runs her finger along the small scar beneath Asami’s eye. “How bad is it?”

Asami turns her back toward the girl, removes her jacket and lifts her shirt. She is unsure of how Sanya will react to the large crater shaped scar between her shoulder blades. She flinches at the cold fingers brushing against her skin. 

“Sorry.” Sanya pulls away. 

“Your hands are cold.” She drops her shirt and turns to face Sanya. “Thank you. I don’t think I got to say that earlier. If it wasn’t for you-“

She is silenced by a hand. The water bender stares at her lap and shakes her head. She looks up. Her eyes plead for forgiveness. “I’m just so sorry. I didn’t tell you because-“

Asami stops the girl mid-sentence with a kiss. She flings her arms around her neck and pulls her close. The water bender tastes stale, seven days of slumber linger on her tongue. Asami has never tasted anything sweeter. 

“I don’t care. I don’t care anymore.” She breathes into Sanya’s mouth. “You’re here, you’re okay. I’m okay.”

She feels the water bender smile. “Okay.” 

The girls dive into another kiss. Asami refuses to let go of Sanya’s neck. A part of her fears the girl might slip away again. Another part of her simply wishes to savor an embrace she thought she might never feel again. She knows the water bender can feel her smiling. 

A low growling breaks the girls apart. Jet yelps in response. 

“Sorry, I haven’t eaten in a while. How long was I out?”

“Seven days.” Asami takes hold of the girl’s hand. 

“That is unacceptable.” 

The girl share a small laugh. 

“Let’s get some food in you.” Asami gets to her feet and offers an open palm. 

“I can get up on my own. I’m a big girl.” Sanya puffs out her chest and turns her head away from the girl. She takes Asami’s hand. 

Winces of pain escape the water bender as she takes her time getting to her feet. Her legs give way, but Asami keeps her steady. A tiny cry of pain escapes her as she secures her footing. She puts her hand over the blood stained area on her side. 

“Come on legs! Work with me!” Sanya says through her teeth. 

“Jet, can you get a robe or a shirt or something?” Asami asks. 

Jet scampers away. 

“Can you stand by yourself?”

“Of course I can.” 

The wolf comes bouncing back with a grey silk robe draped over his head. 

Asami takes the robe and holds it up. “Thanks Jet, I owe you a treat later.” She ruffles the fur on the wolf’s head. 

“This is auntie’s robe.”

“Should I get another one?”

Sanya’s lips curl into to a giant grin. “Nope. Good work Jet.” She gives the wolf a thumbs up.

She tosses the robe to Sanya and makes her way to the door to pick up the contents of her bag. She exhales, allowing her concerns to escape her. She throws a compact mirror, several pens, and her notebook into the bag. 

“Hey, I can bend now.” She says as she continues to throw various items into her bag. 

“And I missed it? Was it as awesome as I think it was?” 

“It was pretty intense, I guess you could say that it was awesome.” She picks up a necklace with a crescent moon pendant. Relief washes over her. She can finally return it to its owner. 

“Is there anything you can’t do?” Sanya puts her hand on Asami’s back. 

The girl straightens up and tosses her bag to the corner of the room. With playful glee, she shakes her head no. “Sanya, as amazing as it was… I don’t think I want to be a bender.” She braces herself for backlash. 

“Okay.” 

She turns to see the water bender standing beside her in an open robe with an accepting smile on her face. 

“It’s totally up to you want to be or what you want to do. My job’s just to cheer you on and mess up any attempts at trying to help you. And you know, possibly cause an explosion or two in the process.”

Asami only nods. She turns to face Sanya. “Thanks.”

Sanya’s eyes drop to her chest. Her fingers brush against Asami’s skin. “You’re wearing it.”

She looks down to find that her string of pearls has slipped out of her shirt. “Of course I am.”

“You should be wearing this.” She slips the necklace over the water bender’s head. 

“Thank you.” Relief washes over her face. 

“Let’s go get you some food.” Asami takes her hand and leads her out the door. “You too Jet.” 

The wolf rushes past them and scurries down the hall. 

The girls stop mid stride as a figure appears at the end of the hall. Asami cannot see a face, but she smiles. She releases Sanya’s hand and steps aside. Lin jogs toward them. The woman and her niece fall into an embrace. She sees Sanya’s muscles tense. She is in pain, but the joy of being in her auntie’s arms again is an instant remedy. 

“I’m so sorry auntie. I always cause you so much trouble.” 

The metal bender pulls away from her niece. She sweeps aside a curtain of white hair and kisses Sanya’s forehead. 

“Auntie, you haven’t done that to me in ages.”

Lin takes another step back, her hands on her niece’s shoulder. “Shut up. Are you wearing my robe?” The woman’s face is soft. Today, she is not Chief Beifong. She is Auntie Lin. 

“Maybe.” 

She slaps Sanya’s arm and motions for the girls to follow her. “Li’s been cooking nonstop since you got hurt. Just waiting for you to wake up.”

The water bender puts her arm around Asami’s shoulders. She cannot contain her grin as she wraps her arm around Sanya’s hip. She is careful not to touch her wound. 

“I heard Asami can bend now?” Sanya asks. 

“She can. I have to say, I was impressed. Mom would have been overjoyed.” 

“And I missed it!” Sanya jokes.

“She helped me make a new statue for mom. I’m sure you’ll see it when you start your community service.”

The water bender grumbles. “Well, I did blood bend a guy.”

“And because you punched Mako in the face.”

“She’s right.” Lin adds. 

“I’m not apologizing for that second thing!”

Asami tries to stifle her giggles. 

“Sanya.” Lin warns the girl with just her name. 

“Please?” Asami pouts.

The water bender rolls her eyes as they enter the kitchen. “I’ll see what I can do.” She sighs. 

Jet has his face buried in a bowl of various chunks of meat. Azula, Ty Lee, and Katara sit at a table full of food. Despite this, they are content with their small cups of tea. Korra and the rest of the fire ferrets sit at one end of the long dining table as they play with the air bending children. Lin leans by the window and crosses her arms. 

“Oh dear, I’ve never made sea cumquat pie before. I hope this turns out all right.” Pebble says as he rushes out of the kitchen. 

“I’d probably still eat it if it didn’t.” Sanya reassures him. 

The man looks up and nearly drops the pie. He shoves it into Lin’s arms and rushes to the water bender. The metal bender’s face contorts with confusion and slight annoyance as she places the pie on the table. 

Asami is lifted off the ground as she is caught in the man’s massive hug. 

“My side!” Sanya yelps. 

The man releases his grip. “I am so sorry.” He begins to cry. “I’m just so happy to see you two.” He wipes away his tears with his apron and makes his way back to the kitchen. “Tonight, we feast!” 

The room laughs at Pebble’s exclamation. 

Asami squeezes Sanya’s arm. The water bender nods in understanding. 

Sanya takes a seat across the elderly women. She does not seem to bothered by being the only person on that side of the table as she immediately grabs a red bean bun and stuffs it in her mouth. 

Asami takes a seat beside Azula. “Thank you so much for what you’ve given me and my company. I am eternally grateful.” 

“It was nothing. It was actually Ty Lee’s idea.” 

“It’s no big deal. You’re family now! Group hug!” Ty Lee throws her arms around Azula. Her hands claw at thin air in an attempt to reach Asami. 

“Ty Lee.” 

“Right, group hug later.” The woman giggles. 

“If it’s no trouble, may I ask you to extend my thanks to the Fire Lord. I apologize that I cannot thank her personally and I don’t think it’ll be that easy to reach her by phone.”

“No worries dear. You’ll have your chance to talk to my niece personally.”

“It’ll be a while before we go back home though.” Ty Lee adds. 

Pebble enters the room and places a tray of steaming buns before them. 

“Oh?” She picks up a bun.

“I’ll be on the council temporarily until a new non-bending representative is voted in.” Ty Lee pats Pebble’s muscular arms as he pours her another cup of tea and sits beside her. “We asked him to run, he’s quite popular now. But he doesn’t want to.” She frowns. 

“Oh no, politics are not for me. I would much rather tend to my garden.” 

“Congratulations on your new position.” Asami tilts her head to the side. “I think.”

“Thanks!”

“I’m sure it’ll be real fun working with Twinkle Toes.” Lin scoffs. “Sorry, auntie. I couldn’t help it.” 

Katara giggles and waves away her apology. “You truly are your mother’s daughter.”

“It’s all thanks to you though, now people will take this stuff seriously. Maybe it’ll be different now.” Ty Lee smiles at Asami. 

“I wanted to stop my father. I wanted to avenge Aunt Toph. Mostly selfish reasons. I don’t think I made that much of a difference.” She keeps her eyes down as she speaks into her half eaten bun. 

“Whether you think you did or did not, that doesn’t matter. What matters is what you’ve actually done. It made people listen and open their eyes. Give yourself a bit more credit girl.” Azula pats her knee and winks. 

Asami nods. She looks up to see Sanya beaming behind a bowl of rice. “That’s my girl.” The water bender gives her a wink. 

Her face flushes bright red.

“Sanya’s got a girlfriend! Sanya’s got a girlfriend!” Jinora and Ikki chant. 

Meelo scowls and crosses his arms. “You stole my woman!”

“I did no such thing!” Sanya defends herself. “Asami! A little help.” 

She shrugs. “You stole my heart, what can I say?”

The water bender chokes on her rice. 

“You two are so cute, it’s killing me!” Bolin shouts. “It’s okay Meelo, we’ll just be bachelors until we die!”

“You realize he will hate me forever now.” Sanya coughs. 

The table laughs. 

“I don’t want to be alone forever!” Meelo whines. “Korra be my girlfriend.”

The avatar shrugs. “Okay.”

“Wait, what. What about me?” Mako only half jokes. 

“Well if you would just do the thing…” Korra’s words trail off. 

“Fine.” The boy grumbles. “Hey, uhh.” Mako scoots his way toward Sanya. 

The water bender swallows the food in her mouth. 

The boy searches the room for words he cannot find. The water bender raises an eyebrow. 

“I’m glad you didn’t die.” He blurts out. 

Sanya nods as her eyes drift toward the boy’s bandaged leg. “I’m glad we didn’t have to cut off your leg.” 

Korra and Asami shrug at each other. 

“That’s the best they can do.” Asami giggles. 

“Let’s not push it.” Korra adds as she pulls her boyfriend away from the girl who gave him the giant bruise on his face. 

“Korra, can I ask you a favor?” Asami asks. 

“What’s up?”

“Can you take away my bending?”

The laughter dies as everyone in the room is frozen with confusion and anticipation. 

“What?” Korra asks. 

“But we never got to bend together!” Bolin pleads.

“Are you sure?” Lin chimes in from her place by the window. 

The elderly women are silent. 

Asami takes a deep breath. “I’m sure. I know people might have heard that Aunt Toph thought it was possible for me to bend if I went into that cave and met with the badger mole. She was right wasn’t she? But, I don’t think she wanted to change me, I think she just wanted to make me better. Make what I already had, better. I’ve always been fine being a non-bender. I never had a problem fighting. I never needed bending. I don’t think I’ll need it anymore.”

“Aren’t you going to say something?” Korra turns to Sanya.

The water bender looks up. “Can I have extra rice?” 

Lin crushes a napkin in her hand and throws the newly formed ball at her niece. “About Asami and her bending, you dunderhead.”

“It’s totally up to her. It’s her decision to make and it sounds like she’s already made it. Bending or no bending, I’m not going to love her any less.” 

Asami’s face flushes a deep red. She mouthes a thank you. 

“I think that’s the first the time I’ve heard you say you loved her.” Lin says with a sly grin on her face. 

“What! No! What! Shut up!” She shovels rice into mouth. 

“Bending. No bending. As long as she’s bending you over it’s fine, am I right Sanya?” Azula cackles. 

Sanya chokes on her food. Again. She slams her chopsticks on the table and coughs out bits of rice into a napkin. 

“Azula!” Ty Lee nudges her wife in the ribs. 

“What? It was funny.” Azula continues to laugh. 

A second elbow to the ribs from her wife silences her laughter.  

“Spirits you guys! Are you trying kill me? I already died once!” The water bender gets to her feet and walks away from the table. 

“Where are you going?” Lin asks. 

“To get my extra rice!” Sanya disappears into the kitchen. 

“Umm, Asami, if you’re sure.” Korra gets to her feet and walks over to Asami. 

“I am.”

The avatar shrugs. Asami exhales and prepares herself. She has no idea what to expect, but she cannot help but brace herself for a painful experience. A sliver of doubt enters her mind as Korra’s thumb inches its way to her forehead. The feeling passes. Asami closes her eyes and feels nothing but contentedness. A hand on her heart and a thumb on her forehead ignite a fire in her core. She is not in pain, rather she feels energized. Though her yes are closed, she sees a bright light. For the first time in ages, her mind is calm. No static. No gears churning. Nothing. A sharp inhale causes her to gasp as the air from her lungs is wrenched out of her. She opens her eyes to find Korra standing over her. 

“Are you okay?” The avatar asks. 

She nods. “That’s it?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“Okay.” She rubs the spot on her chest where Korra’s hand rested. “Thanks.”

The avatar gives her a thumbs up. Her confusion is still visible on her face as she walks back to her seat. 

“Do you want to get yourself a glass of water dear?” Katara asks with a warm smile on her face. 

Asami nods. She puts her hands on the woman’s arm. “Thank you. For bringing her back to me.”

Katara grins and nods. 

She makes her way to the kitchen, but a hand on her arm stops her. 

“Your glass of water wandered out the back door.” Lin says softly. 

She nods and walks away. Asami makes her way through the kitchen. A bowl half full of rice sits by the sink. 

She feels no differently. She feels as though nothing was taken, instead she feels a fullness in her chest. She pushes the back door open. 

Sanya stands with her back against the wall. She is staring at the sky when Asami walks out the door. 

“Hey.”

The water bender does not look at her. “Hey, sorry I got distracted. Am I needed back inside?” She fiddles with her necklace. 

“Not at all.” She leans on the wall facing the girl. 

She stares at her face, a face she thought she would never see again. A small scar forms near her eyebrow. Her eyes still harbor fatigue. Her lips are pale, not their usual bright pink color. 

“What’s so interesting up there?” 

“The moon’s out. It seems too early for it to be out doesn’t it?” 

She looks up to find a waning moon. The sun has just begun its decent, but it is still bright out. The partial moon has faded into the blue curtain of the sky. 

“It looks like someone’s watching out for you.” 

“I guess so.” Sanya looks down and chews on her lip. 

Asami grins. “You must be cold.” She steps before the water bender and slips her hands beneath her robe. She wraps her arms around her, taking great care not to agitate her wound. 

“I’m so lucky to have an Asami blanket.”

“That’s right you are.” 

The girls laugh. Asami enjoys the water bender’s warmth and the steady thumping of her heart. She tightens her embrace as though she were afraid that thumping will be silenced if she lets go. She feels Sanya’s hands slide up her back and clutch her shirt. She knows the girl shares her fear.

“I can’t help but feel like I missed something awesome again.”

“I guess you could say that. Korra took my bending.” 

“I always miss the exciting bits.” She pauses. 

She senses worry in the girl’s words. 

“I hope I can be with you next time something happens.”

“You will be. And the next time and the time after that.” 

She lifts her head to give the girl a smile. Sanya says nothing. Her reply comes in the form of a kiss. 

“Do you want to stay out here to watch the sun set?” 

“Yeah.” Sanya keeps her eyes on Asami. 

“Are you sure? Aren’t you hungry?”

“Not for food.” A mischievous grin forms as her tongue runs across her lips. 

The girls dive into another kiss. The water bender clutches Asami’s back, as though she were afraid she will drift away. Asami presses her body into Sanya’s, always mindful of the wound. This kiss is unlike those they have shared in the past. It is not hungry and yearning, no ravenous pressure consumes them. It is slow and savoring, a wordless reassurance of their affection. _I don’t know what will happen next, but I always know where I will lay my head at night._ She thinks with the hope that this kiss can transfer this silent message.  

The girls resurface for air. Asami wipes away a smudge of lipstick from the corner or Sanya’s mouth. She gives her another quick kiss, a signature to the note she has just written on the girl’s lips. Asami turns her back to the water bender and wraps the water bender’s arms around her waist. Sanya leaves her signature on her neck. Asami stares at the ground as her water bender focuses on the sky again.  

Memories fill her mind. She no longer buries them, but allows them to flourish. She smiles as she hears laughter and sees familiar smiles. A tiny cube of earth rises mere centimeters above the ground. Asami thinks to tell Sanya about it, but she chooses to enjoy the silence. Her smile widens. It seems, someone is watching out for her too. 

The sun sets beyond the horizon. She pats Sanya’s thigh. “Come on. You seriously need to eat.” She turns around and takes Sanya’s hand. “Eat food, not me.” 

The girls share a laugh. 

“You really have been spending too much time with me.” Sanya says as she follows Asami back into the kitchen. 

The bowl of rice on the counter is gone now. The voices of their family in the other room fills their ears. They enter the dining room to find Tenzin and Pema sitting by Katara. Sanya takes the lead and quicken her pace as she sees more food before her seat. Asami grins and allows herself to be dragged. 

“Hey.” Lin calls out to her. She releases Sanya’s hand and turns around. 

Lin holds out an open can of cactus juice. She takes a sip from her own can. 

Asami laughs. “Are you sure?”

“I don’t think you’ll be driving anywhere tonight. Go ahead.”

She takes the cactus juice from the woman’s hand taps her can with it before taking a sip. Today, she drinks with joy. She has found water to drown her sorrows. “Thanks.” 

Lin nods. 

Asami makes her way to the table. Pebble and Bolin have taken the seats beside Sanya. The water bender looks up, silent apologies leave her lips. A mischievous grin spreads across Asami’s face. She walks to the water bender’s seat and sits down beside her. She wraps her free arm around Sanya’s waist and allows her legs to fall on either side of the girl. She takes another sip of cactus juice before burying her face in Sanya’s shoulder. She knows everyone is staring. Her smirk grows larger.

“Asami?” Sanya’s voice is laces with nervousness. “Everyone’s staring at us.”

She hears Ty Lee fawn over them. Azula giggles. The air babies poke fun at their cousin, who is no doubt flushing the same shade of red as her pajama bottoms. 

“I don’t care.” Her words are muffled. 

“See, she doesn’t care and neither should you!” Azula calls out to her niece. 

She feels Sanya laughing against her body. The water bender runs her hands along Asami’s arm before she continues to eat. 

Asami listens to the sounds of her new family and savors the feel of Sanya’s beating heart. She is finally home. 

 

 

 

 

 


	14. Extra Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I thought I would let the girls have some fun after all they've been through. So, I wrote this extra chapter.

_Tick Tock._ Her eyes begin to sting from staring. It seems time really does move slower in Ba Sing Se. _Tick Tock_. Heavy eyelids feign a blink with each click of the clock’s hand. _Tick Tock_. The hand lands on the number twelve. There is a knock at her door. _I guess I’m not the only one watching the clock._ She thinks. 

“Come in!” She calls out. 

The door opens. A short, stout woman walks into the large office. Sunlight washes over a pale face. 

“Going out to lunch, Aya?” 

“Yes, Miss Sato.” The woman on replies. “And you…”

“Will be staying in.” Asami rubs her eyes and yawns. “I’ll have some papers for you after lunch. See you in an hour.” Her tongue runs over her lips as she struggles to smiles. “Make it an hour and half.” 

“Yes ma’am.” The girl responds as she backs out of the room with a grin on her face. 

She eases the door shut behind her. 

Asami sinks in her seat. This office is large, but so empty. Devoid of any decoration. A simple desk with simple chairs. A grand clock and plastic plants. Cabinets full of work that must be done or work then has been done. Sheets of paper and folders of all colors cover her desk. They seem to be the only bit of color in this room. 

Her pen draws large eyes on a caricatured drawing of Sanya. A sad grin forms on her face. It has been a month since she last saw the water bender. Six days since she last heard her voice over the phone. Expanding the Ba Sing Se factory, getting Future Industries back on its feet, and overseeing production of The Boar has consumed all her time and energy. She rubs her eyes and drops her pen. Fatigue’s warm embrace envelops her. With each blink, her eyes stay closed just a bit longer. She slumps over her desk. A head heavy with thoughts rests on weary arms. Asami begins to doze off. Aching muscles relax. Restless legs become still. Her breathing slows. Her eyes refuse to open as they shut out the world. 

 _Ring! Ring! Ring!_  

The telephone furiously calls out for her attention. Asami lets out a groan and takes a deep breath. She sits back in her chair and glares at the phone.

“Future Industries. This is Asami Sato speaking, how may I help you?”

“Is that how all company presidents answer their phone?” A familiar voice asks.

She smiles. “I’m trying to be professional, Lin. Something going on?” 

“Why do you automatically assume something is happening when I call?”

“Isn’t something always happening? Our lives aren’t exactly… What’s the word? Peaceful.” She falls back in her chair. Exhaustion forces a sigh from her mouth. 

“You sound like mom.”

They are silent. In their silence they find a gloomy sort of comfort in remembering a woman who meant so much to them. Memories of her come to mind. The nagging ache of missing someone feels like a stone dropping in her stomach. 

“I need you to do something for me.” Lin’s stern voice breaks the silence. 

Asami grips her chair’s arm rest. The gears in her mind begin to turn. The worst possible scenarios fill her thoughts. 

“I need you to go to Ember Island.”

Her brow furrows as confusion manifests itself on her face. “Okay. When?”

“I’ve got a ticket for you to leave tomorrow morning.”

“That’s really soon. Lin, what’s wrong? What’s going on…” Her voice trails off. Anxious hands tighten their grip on the phone and chair’s arm rest. “Is this about the man that killed my mother?”

“Why does your mind always go someplace bad? It’s not. I’m still working on that. I’m sorry it’s taking so long.”

Asami relaxes. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Will you go? It’ll only be for three days.”

“What’s there? Is something going on?”

“Nothing’s happening. Look, you’ve been working nonstop since we took your father down.” The woman pauses. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” She waves away the apology as though it were nothing more than a spider fly.

“If you want to see him I can arrange a visit.”

She clenches her jaw. She imagines her father sitting in a cell, wearing nothing but rags. Would she still feel sorrow despite knowing of the atrocities he committed? She swallows a bundle of mixed emotions. 

“No, no. I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.”

“Okay. Just let me know.”

Asami exhales. She buried any thoughts of her father that have come her way. To see him now would raise the dead in the graveyard of her memories. 

“You need a break. You need to relax. More importantly, you need to sit back and have yourself a tall glass of water.” Lin’s voice calls her out of her mind. 

Her face flushes red at the metal bender’s words. “I would love to, believe me there is nothing more I want right now but, I don’t know if I can. Lin, I’ve got so much work to do.” 

“I know. But everyone needs you at a hundred percent. We can’t have you cracking under stress. Yet, here you are in your office during lunch.”

“I’m not stressed. I’m fine, I’m not hungry anyway.”

“Uh huh. I can tell when you’re lying.” 

She can see Lin’ signature glare in her head. The woman’s expression travels through the phone. 

“Is she done with community service?” Asami asks. 

“She’ll be done tomorrow afternoon. If you say yes, you’ll see her tomorrow night.”

She chews over the thought. A desk full of paperwork reminds her of all the work that has yet to be done. Her eyes land on the caricature of Sanya. She sees the girl smiling her in head. The thought runs down to her chest. A yearning heart pleads with an uncertain mind. 

A second voice chimes in on Lin’s end. “Auntie, I’m going.” The words are soft and far away.

Lin does not distance herself from the phone. “You’re just leaving? I thought you left an hour ago.”

“They asked me to come in a little later today.” 

“Okay. It’s Asami, she misses you.”

“Lin!” She exclaims. 

“Am I lying?”

Asami grins. She covers her eyes with her free hand and exhales. “No.”

“Tell her I miss her more! And tell her I don’t think I can ever fly again, because no matter how many flying lessons I take, I’d still fall for her.”

She hears the sound of skin slapping against skin. She knows the woman is hiding behind her hand, shaking her head at her niece’s words. “Sanya says hi.”

Asami laughs. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I’ll go.”

“Good. I’ll call you back in a few with details.”

“Lin,” She hesitates to speak the words rattling about in her chest. “Thank you. For doing this for me, for us. I really appreciate it.”

“I have to take care of my girls. I’ll call you back in a bit.” Lin hangs up. 

Asami does the same. A twinge of regret plagues her mind. She wonders if she can afford a short vacation, if it would be reckless to leave now. A faint giggle escapes her lips as she sighs. She takes a pen and begins to scribble down instructions. _I might as well get some work done while I wait_. She thinks. Exhaustion is no longer heavy on her shoulders. With each line she writes, her eyes wander to her drawing of Sanya. The smirk on her face grows. She no longer has to settle for a picture, soon she can have the real thing. 

 

Asami stands before the door to her hotel room. Her grip on the key is much too tight. It’s sharp edges press into her skin. She is still, listening to the soft sounds echoing down the dimly lit hall. She stares at the numbers on the door, two zero six. The golden numbers pop out against the fire red oak. She hears nothing behind the door. An exhale leaves her lips as she unlocks the door and steps inside. 

She steadies herself on the closet door while she kicks off her shoes. Her suitcase lies open atop a small rectangular dining table. The fruits and various sweets still lie untouched on the granite kitchenette countertop on the other side of the room. A telltale sign that Sanya has yet to arrive. She sighs with a small grin on her face as she tosses a bag of accessories and small decorative items onto the wine colored sofa to her right and walks into the large bedroom. 

The light of the setting sun paints the floor a deep orange. A large bed sits against the wall, the white sheets are still perfectly fitted against the mattress. She switches on a tall lamp in the corner of the room as she walks to the window. A view of the beach greets her. The ocean waves and white sand play their eternal game of tag. Merchants have begun closing their food huts and shopping stalls. Figures still lie on the sand. Couples watching the sunset and groups sitting around newly lit bonfires all watch the sun set across the horizon. She is mesmerized by the sight. The sun’s dying flame swims its way across the vast sea before it is extinguished beyond the horizon. She catches her reflection in the window. A jolt of nervousness shocks her body into motion. She rushes to the bathroom. 

Tonight will be the first time in a month she will see Sanya. Fidgety hands smooth other her white sundress. A dress she bought only this morning with the water bender in mind. She runs her fingers along the light blue accents running along the hem. 

“Is this too short?” She asks her reflection as she pulls the hem over her knees. 

She pulls a loose thread from the accents along a plunging neckline. 

“Is this too low?” Asami asks herself. She shakes her head no as she touches the pearl necklace resting on her chest. 

She pulls her hair up and turns to the side before allowing it to fall across her shoulders. She tugs at her sleeves and smoothes over any wrinkles along the blue floral pattern running down her arms. 

An exasperated grunt escapes her. “Why am I nervous!” She points at the mirror. “Stop it! It’s just Sanya!” She covers her face with her hands to hide a growing smirk, fully aware that there is nothing “just” about the water bender. At least, not to her. 

She shuffles out of the bathroom and sits on the edge of the bed. She exhales before falling back. She closes her eyes and allows herself to relax. Images of the smiling water bender cross her mind. Her excitement grows. Memories of the girl’s touch and her taste make her flush. The smirk on her face stretches from ear to ear. 

“Stop it Asami! You’re too old for this!” She covers her face. 

Her hands slides down her face and rest on her stomach. She chews on her bottom lip, doing her best to keep her grin from growing. 

Aclicking in the other room causes her to sit up. The door unlocks. The sound of heavy feet tripping over themselves echoes throughout the room. Indistinct murmuring reaches her ears. A shuffling in the hallway is followed a heavy thud and the sound of a zipper. 

“Umm. Hello?” She calls out. 

Her eyes light up at the sight of a figure that appears beyond the bedroom doorway. Jet black and silvery white hair tumble freely across her shoulders as she turns to face the bedroom. Asami cannot help but mimic the grin on Sanya’s face. 

The water bender barrels into the bedroom and throws herself onto Asami, knocking them both back onto the bed. She wraps her arms around Sanya’s waist. Asami buries her face in her chest and inhales. The scent of lilies and lavender brings comfort. She wonders why she was so nervous just moments ago. 

“You didn’t miss me at all.” Asami jokes. 

“Not one bit.” The water bender’s embrace tightens around her neck. 

“Then you wouldn’t mind if I went out for a stroll on the beach without you then.” She holds the girl closer. 

“Sami.” Sanya pleads. 

The girls pull away. Asami sits up, her eyes revel in joy at a sight they have longed to see. 

Sanya straddles Asami’s lap as she pushes white hair out her face. “I like your dress.” Her finger traces the blue stitching along Asami’s neckline before touching the necklace. A hunger is awakened in the girl’s eyes. “I never took you for a girl who liked to wear white.” 

A mischievous smirk spreads across her face. She runs her hand through Sanya’s hair. “The color grew on me.” Her hands grasp the water bender’s arms. “What about you? Black arm sleeves and you have your hair down.”

Sanya leans in closer. The need to taste the girl’s kiss urges her forward, but she refuses to give in so easily. She stares at the water bender’s lips. 

“I thought I’d dress to impress. Are you impressed?”

Asami feigns ambivalence. “I don’t know.” She taps her chin with her index finger. “No, not really.” She shakes her head. 

“Oh?” Sanya inches closer. 

The water bender’s scent is intoxicating. She feels as though she has finally tasted a drug that has been deprived of her for far too long. 

She manages a nod. 

The water bender is motionless. She can feel the girl’s breath on her lips. The hunger in the pit of her stomach grows. 

She pulls away with a playful frown on her face. “I guess I’ll have to work harder to impress you.” 

Asami punctuates the water bender’s sentence with a kiss. And with the spark on their lips, a low burning ember becomes a raging fire. The girl is like saltwater, the more she has, the more she wants. Her hands claw at Sanya’ s shirt. Their kiss deepens. A low groan escapes Asami’s lips as an ache in the pit of her stomach yearns for more. 

She pulls away. “When did you learn to become such a tease?” She breathes. 

The water bender grins. Her answer comes in the form of biting Asami’s lower lip. 

The girls dive into another kiss. Asami falls back onto the bed, Sanya comes down gently on top of her. Her hands slide up beneath her shirt. The girl’s muscles tense at the sensation of her cool touch. A soft moan escapes Sanya. Asami’s fingers run down her skin. She feels the that scar runs down her side. 

Asami pulls away. Her thumb traces the scar. Memories flood her mind. Blood on her hands. Screaming in her ears. Tears in her eyes. The thread of life of the woman she loves was so close to being cut. Her breathing becomes heavy as she stares into worried blue eyes. She flounders in a wave of flashbacks. 

“Asami.” Sanya’s low voice calls out to her. “I’m fine.” She assures. 

She nods and blinks away tears from her eyes that have yet to fall. 

The water bender sits straight up. Her knees struggle to stay steady on the edge of the bed. She takes hold of the hem of her shirt and pulls it over her head. Sanya tumbles backward and onto the floor. Asami bolts up, her hand covers her mouth. “Are you all right?” She holds back her laughter. 

The water bender tosses her shirt at Asami and responds with a laugh. She pulls the shirt off her head to find a beaming Sanya looking up at her from the floor. 

“Look.” She stretches her torso to reveal a faded pink scar along her side, starting just below her rib cage and ending above her hip bone. “I’m fine.”

Her memories leave her with a deep breath. She extends a finger and calls the girl over. On her knees, Sanya wedges herself between Asami’s legs.

“Yes, you are.” She says before taking the water bender’s face in her hands and giving her a quick kiss. 

Sanya’s glance drops. The smile in her face disappears. 

“You know,” She runs her hands down Asami’s legs. “I was just so rude.” 

She raises an eyebrow. Her focus is on the girl’s hands rather than her words. “What?”

Sanya pulls her legs forward and apart. Asami steadies herself and sits up on her elbows. The hem of her dress rides dangerously high. Sanya’s breath causes looses threads to dance before her. Her heart pounds. A nagging in the pit of her stomach drops below her waist. 

“I never asked you how your day was. How rude of me.” She slides her hands beneath Asami’s dress. Her thumbs slip beneath her underwear. 

Asami holds her breath and shuts her eyes. Her heart pounds, each thump feeds the growing pressure in her abdomen. 

“Is this okay?” Sanya’s voice is a low murmur. 

She nods yes. 

The water bender slips it down her leg. She holds the lacy red garment up to her face. “These are cute.” She tosses them aside.  

Her feather light touch sends shockwaves pulsating through Asami’s body as she inches the dress up her thigh. 

“Asami, breathe.” 

She exhales and falls onto the bed. She does her best to steady her breathing, but she is anything but steady at the hands of her water bender. 

“Tell me about your day.” Sanya plants a kiss on her knee. 

A small laugh escapes her. “Sanya? What are you doing?”

“I thought I’d try something new. Do you not like it?” 

She opens her eyes to find a pair of worried eyes staring up at her from between her legs. She says nothing. Her response comes in the from of pushing Sanya’s head down. 

“Tell me about your day.” Another kiss tickles her inner thigh. The girl disappears beneath her skirt. 

She inhales. One hand covers her eyes while the other clutches the bed sheet. “I woke up really early and went to the office.” 

Sanya’s tongue travels up her thigh. 

She holds her breath. “To make sure everything was okay before I left.” Her body screams for Sanya’s attention. “Afterward I drove to the airport.”

She covers her mouth, silencing a soft yelp. She rests her legs on Sanya’s shoulders. She groans when she no longer feels the water bender’s lips on her skin. 

“You stop, I stop.” The girl’s breath feels like feathers on her delicate skin. 

“I got to the airport around eight.” She blurts out in one breath. 

Asami’s chest rises and falls with each inhale and exhale. Her eyes are shut tight, her grip on the sheet tightens. The water bender sends waves surging through her body.

“I had my notebook with me.” She is breathless. “I doodled the whole ride here.” Her back arches up. “I took a nap.”

Sanya takes hold of her thighs and pulls her down. The sudden pressure of the water bender’s kisses causes Asami to cry out. She covers her mouth. Her body becomes restless, aching with a need that only this girl can satisfy. 

“Sanya, I don’t think I can,” She pants. 

“Sure you can.” The water bender coos. 

Her grip on the sheets relaxes as the water benders lips feel like silk ribbons on her skin. She takes several deep breaths and allows her muscles to relax. “I got here a bit after noon.” She struggles to find words. Her thoughts become fuzzy as her body aches fore more. “I bought this dress and had, umm, I had a hard time finding the,” Her mouth hangs open as she gasps for air. “The hotel.” She exhales. 

Asami wraps her legs around Sanya’s neck. Her hand runs through the girl’s hair, the other reestablishes its grip on the bed sheet. Her hips move up as her back arches. Pressure builds in her core, pressure that demands the water bender’s full attention. She bites down on her lower lip, muffling her groans. 

“Took a shower.” She exhales. The thought of warm water coming down on her bare skin causes a surge of sensations. “Changed, went out and,” Her words are caught in her throat. 

Her mind goes blank. Her mouth can no longer produce words as Sanya enslaves her with every kiss. Her fingers wrap themselves around strands of black and white hair as she pushes the girl’s head down. She no longer has control of her body as its hunger consumes her. 

Sanya stops. Her breath tickles her skin. 

“Lunch!” She screams with desperation. “Walked to the,” She lets out a groan. “Beach, ate lunch.” She blurts out in a frenzy. 

Sanya continues writing her own story between Asami’s legs with her tongue. 

“Had,” She swallows a whimper. “Fish.” Ragged breathing makes it difficult for her to speak. 

“Was it good?” Sanya exhales.

Once she feels the girl’s lips on her skin again she becomes tense. Her pulse pounds in her temples. The pressure at the base of her spine builds, it is overpowering. She is engulfed by the water bender’s spell. 

“Yes.” She moans. Her legs tighten around the water bender’s neck. “So good.” She pants. 

A sharp inhale causes her to cry out. Her heart beats against her ribs, her lungs struggle for air. Every nerve in her body is on edge. Blood rushes to the surface of her skin. The heat the radiates off her creates dewdrops of sweat on her chest that roll down her stomach. The nagging hunger in her core threatens to set her ablaze. 

“Shopping.” She struggles to say. “Went shopping. Came,” A whimper cuts her sentence short. She gasps for air, forcing her mind awake from the enchantments Sanya has cast upon her. “Came back here.” She finally manages to say. Her mind goes blank. The water bender wordlessly recites her charm as she takes control of Asami’s body. But, she stops. 

“Sanya, please I,” Asami pleads. 

Kisses light as feathers make her groan in agony. She wants more. The pressure is building, her hunger is rising. She needs more

“Then you,” She exhales. 

Sanya surprises her with the deep kiss her body has been craving. 

“Then you,” She loses control of her body. 

Her hands retain their iron grip on Sanya’s hair and the bed sheet. She opens her mouth to speak, but the letters are caught in her throat. A cry escapes her. 

“Then I made you scream.” Sanya’s sultry voice ignites the spark that detonates an eruption in Asami’s body. 

Her back arches, muscles tense as her upper half bolts up. Asami tears the bed sheet from the mattress and shoves the Sanya’s head down. She is overwhelmed by the waves of pleasure consuming her body. She cannot contain a cry as the pressure in her core discharges electricity through her veins. Her skin is on fire, flames that crave the water bender’s touch. For a moment, she forgets how to breath. Each inhale is accompanied by a soft shriek, while each exhale carries a moan. 

She falls back onto the bed, gasping for air. Sanya plants a trail of kisses up and down her thigh, each one sends aftershocks pulsing through her veins. The girl’s lips triggers groans she can no longer stifle. Asami tries to catch her breath as her hand releases its grip from the bed sheet. She feels a tapping on her thigh. Her legs are like a serpent refusing to release its prey. 

“Oh sprits!” She manages to say before releasing Sanya. 

Asami sits up to find the water bender wiping her mouth and rubbing her neck. 

“I’m so sorry, are you okay?” She exhales. 

A sly smirk grows on Sanya’s face. “I’m so okay.” A playfulness in her eyes sends a shiver down Asami’s spine. 

She chews on her lip before lifting her dress over her head and tossing it at the water bender. “Consider it a gift.” She scoots back and pulls her feet onto the bed. 

Sanya removes the dress from her head and nods. 

She wriggles out her pants and tosses them onto the bed. “And for you.”

Asami shakes her head. “That’s not enough.”

“No?” She crawls onto the bed.

“No, not enough. I’m gonna need more than that.”

On all fours, Sanya makes her way on top of her. She straddles one of Asami’s thighs, making sure her knee is between her legs. 

“More?” She sweeps aside a curtain of hair. Her face is dangerously close. 

“More.” The word barely leaves Asami’s mouth before she is silenced by a kiss. 

The water bender’s mouth tastes of her. She falls back and wraps her arms around Sanya’s neck. 

She pushes her body against hers. The water bender whimpers in her mouth. A sound that has come to drive her mad with primal hunger. 

Sanya pulls away. Her downcast eyes hide traces of worry. 

Asami is caught by surprise. “What’s wrong?” 

“I love you.” 

Confusion momentarily manifests on her face before she flushes red. 

“What?”

Sanya catches her breath. Blood rushes to her face. “I almost died, you almost died. I didn’t even get to say it. I woke up and I still didn’t say it.” Her mouth hangs open as she searches for words. “I couldn’t say it on the phone or the day you left. I’m sorry it took me so long. But,” She looks into Asami’s eyes. “I love you.”

She pulls the girl into a tight embrace. “You’re just a big softie aren’t you?” She giggles. 

The girl’s words feel like hot liquid warming her body during a blizzard. A comfort she never thought she would feel. One that soothes a longing ache in her chest. 

“You didn’t have to say it. You’ve shown me all this time.” She releases her embrace. “Do something for me?” She runs her hands through the girl’s hair. 

“Anything.”

Asami presses her body against Sanya’s. “Show me one more time.” She breathes into her ear. “Please.”

A grin spreads across both their faces. A silent understanding of the sleepless night that lies ahead. 

Sanya runs her tongue across Asami’s lips before diving into another kiss. She pulls her body close, her fingers trace the tattoos on her back. Their bodies find a rhythm. Asami lets herself go, She no longer tries to quiet her groans or prevent her hips from rising to meet Sanya’s. She loses herself in the sounds of the water bender’s soft whimpers near her ear. The girl’s heavy breathing becomes hypnotic. She feels Sanya’s insatiable hunger through the way her body moves into her, through every ravenous kiss, through every moan she cannot stifle. Her mouth curls into a smirk. She is eager to feed. 

 

 Fires surround her. She cannot see through the flames. Screams pierce the smoke and assault her ears. She can see no one else. Is she alone? Her father’s face manifests in the flames. 

 _You did this. You couldn’t save them._ He laughs. _Look at all the pain and suffering you’ve caused. Look! Asami! Look at it!_

She tries to run away, to cover her ears. 

_You can’t run away. Look what you did to those you hold so dear._

Her hands are covered in blood. The red stain drips down her body. A river of deep crimson leads to the lifeless body of Sanya. Another branch leads to a motionless Lin. The last leads to a charred corpse. It is Toph.  

 _Asami!_ The voice calls out again.

“Asami!”

She wakes with a sharp inhale. Above her, bright blue orbs behind a curtain of white scan her face. 

“Asami, are you all right?” Sanya asks. 

Her heart still pounds against her ribcage. She sits up and throws off the blanket. A sigh of relief escapes her as she finds her rabbit squirrel printed nightshirt clean and unstained. 

“Sami?” Sanya’s gentle voice calls out again. 

The water bender’s bare hand hovers above her arm, as though she were waiting for permission to touch her. Asami’s eyes follow the trail of scars up the girl’s arm to find her unscathed. She sits beside her in an oversized brown shirt with the words “BEIFONG METAL BENDING ACADEMY” written across the chest in faded green letters. Her body relaxes as she flings herself into the water bender’s chest. She clings to her shirt and inhales deeply. She can no longer remember a scent as comforting as lilies and lavender. 

“Did you have a bad dream?” Sanya asks as she returns the embrace. 

She nods. “Did I wake you?” Her voice is hoarse and muffled as she speaks into Sanya’s chest. 

“No, I was already up.” 

Asami pulls away, but keeps her grip on Sanya’s arms. She looks down to see reddened skin, scratch marks that have yet to break skin. She looks up to see smiling lips, but her eyes are desperately trying to hide the tears they have shed. 

“I had a nightmare too.” Sanya confesses. 

Her lips drop into a frown. She nestles into Sanya’s arms and rests her head on her shoulder. She feels the water bender exhale as she wraps her arms around Asami’s waist. The girls sit against the bed’s headboard in silence. The sounds of a distant beach harmonize with their heartbeats. 

Asami takes Sanya’s hand and idly fiddles with her fingers. “What did you dream about?” She mutters. 

“I couldn’t save you.” She waves away her concerns. “It’s not so bad when I can wake up next to you and your things.” She picks up Asami’s discarded dress. “The smell is comforting. Is that jasmine?”

She presses her body into Sanya. “It is.” She grins. 

“What about you?”

Asami shakes her head. “It was like a flashback of the attack on the factory and the day I almost lost you. But worse.” The dull ache of old guilt hits her. “I couldn’t help anyone.” 

Sanya kisses her forehead. “You can’t save everyone. But you’ve helped so many people.”

Her lips twitch into a weak smile. “I tried. I nearly got you killed,”

“Hey, now. You did not. What I did was my choice” Sanya interjects. “And I know a lot of your workers were injured but that wasn’t your fault either. Okay?”

Asami kisses the water bender’s palm. “Okay.” She sighs and rubs sleep out of her eyes. 

“Were you close to any of the workers who got hurt?”

“There was man, his name was LuChen. He worked in that factory since it opened. Every time I came to visit as a little girl he’d always smile at me. He’d stop working for a moment and dance with me for a bit when my father wasn’t looking. It was such a little thing, maybe a even bit stupid considering, but it always made my day.” A wave of melancholy washes over her. 

“You danced?” 

“I used to. When I was younger.” 

“Is he all right?” 

Asami focuses on rubbing Sanya’s fingernails. “He lost a leg in the attack. We gave him money, for medical bills and such. But,”

“It doesn’t feel like it’s enough?”

“It never does. Feels like I cause more trouble for people I care about just by caring about them.”

“So build him a new leg.” 

Asami lets out a small laugh. “Like I could do that.”

“I don’t see why not, you can build everything else.”

“You really think I can build and drive everything don’t you?” She turns to look into Sanya’s eyes. 

“I really do. And I think it’s my job as your,” She coughs into her hand, hoping the right word will spill into her palm.

“As my what?” Asami teases. 

“As your person.” 

“My person?” She giggles.

“Well, yes. I’m sorry, I still don’t know what to say when it comes to that. Can I be your person?”

Asami focuses on Sanya’s hands again, hiding the growing blush on her face. “Yes. You’re my person. My comfort. My moon in the dark sky. My Sanya.”

The girl lunges at her and traps her in a bear hug. “Sami! How am I supposed to respond to that!” She shrieks. 

She cannot help but laugh. “I love you too Sanya.” 

The water bender releases her embrace. “Auntie told me you’ve been working yourself to death.” The innocence in her eyes catches Asami off guard. “I think I understand. You don’t want to remember any of that. I get it. Neither do I. But it happened. None of it was your fault. As I recall you didn’t flood the streets of Ba Sing Se just to go surfing.” She winks. “I know you don’t need anyone to take care of you. But sometimes I think you forget to take care of yourself. But, I’m going to be here to remind you. And I’m going to pull you out of your nightmares. And I’m going to be here to make bad jokes at the most inappropriate times. Is that okay?”

A rogue tears falls from Asami’s eye. She quickly wipes it away. She nods. With a deep breath, she lets go of her nightmare. 

“Hey, do you want to go for a drive? I know that it’s relaxing for you.” 

“Did you drive here?” She jokes. 

“You know very well I did not.” Sanya crosses her arms and feigns pride. “I can get us a car. If we leave now we can watch the sunrise.”

Asami turns around to face the window. The dark of night has softened. The sky readies itself for the light of the sun. It has been sometime since she has been awake at this hour and not rushing to work. 

“Okay, let’s go.” 

“I’ll meet you outside the front lobby in five minutes.” Sanya jumps out of bed. “Oh, umm. I’m wearing your,” She pauses. 

Asami turns to find the water bender standing beside the bed, holding her shirt up. She points to red lace underwear. Asami bursts into a laughing fit. 

“It was a dark and I just picked up the nearest pair okay!” 

She recalls waking up in the dead of night to put on her nightshirt. Sanya must have done the same while she slept.

Her laughter dies down. “No, no. It looks good on you.”

“Thanks for sparring my feelings. I’ve never been one to wear lace.” She walks out of the bedroom and grabs a pair of black pants and a plain grey sweater on the way out. 

Asami waits to hear the door close before she gets out of bed. She picks up discarded clothing with a smile on her face. The more she tries to restrain her grin, the harder it becomes to suppress. 

She walks to her suitcase and pulls out a small pouch. Her jewelry pouch. She pulls out the bracelet her mother gave her. As she fiddles with the charms before slipping onto her wrist. Memories of the days when this bracelet was her only comfort, her only piece of a real home flash in her mind. She shakes the thoughts out of her mind. 

She walks to the telephone sitting on a the kitchenette countertop and dials a number she has memorized. The line rings four times before she receives an answer. 

“Beifong.” Lin yawns. 

“Do you always answer your phone like that?” Asami teases. 

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Good morning Lin. Sleeping in today?” 

“Why not? Everything all right?” She hears a whining wolf in the background.

“Everything’s great. Oh, tell Jet I said hi?” She finds herself missing the feel of the wolf’s fur between her fingers. 

“Did you call just because you missed the fur ball?” Lin jokes, sleep still laces her words.

“I didn’t. I wanted to say thank you. For this trip. Thank you so much.”

“Don’t worry about it. It was no trouble. I would have gotten you tickets to see the Ember Island Players, but I had a feeling you and that dunderhead wouldn’t leave the hotel room the whole time.”

“Lin!” 

“Nothing wrong with that.” 

Her face flushes red. 

“If you do decide to to go just mention my name, or even your name, at the box office. They’ll give you free tickets.”

“What? How did you manage that?”

“The play this season is called _The Legend of Korra_. Title doesn’t make much sense does it? And guess what, we’re in it. They’ll give us free tickets to watch actors make fun of us.”

“I don’t know if I wanna see that.” 

“It’s up to you. And Asami, after this, I’ll make sure you have her back as soon as possible.”

“Thank you.”

“Yep. Now, go have fun. I’ve gotta feed the fur ball.” Lin hangs up. 

Asami sets the phone down with a smile on her face. It has been so long since she knew the feeling of being a family. The thought still feels foreign, but she does not mind. 

She walks out of their room in a pair of simple black pants and a jacket to match. She does not carry her purse, only a canteen of water. The corridors of the hotel are silent. Its inhabitants still fast asleep. She is greeted by several housekeepers and the young girl working at the front desk. 

A cool beach breeze greets her as she steps outside. She takes a moment to allow the wind to play with her hair, but honk makes her jump. 

To her right Sanya leans against a grey Satomobile. 

“How did you manage this?” Asami walks toward her. “Did you tell them you’re dating the president of the company?”

“Like I would ever use my relationships to get free things!” She puts her hand on her chest. “What kind of a girl do you think I am?” She feigns anger. “I told them I was the Fire Lord’s niece.” She tosses the keys over to Asami.

The girls share a laugh as they hop into the car. 

“Where are we going?” Asami asks as she starts the car. 

“Wherever you want.” Sanya settles into her seat. 

The car pulls out of the hotel’s foyer. She chews on her lip, recalling the places she visited during her stroll yesterday. Her eyes light up. 

“Oh, there was a place I saw yesterday while I was wandering around. Remember I told you I went to the beach?”

“Oh, did you say that? I couldn’t really understand what you were saying when you were telling me about your day.” Sanya teases. 

Asami throws a playful slap at the girl’s stomach. “And whose fault is that?” 

“I regret nothing.” Sanya laughs. 

The streets are empty, the island’s inhabitants are still asleep in their beds. The sound of waves lapping against sand and sea birds making their rounds above shallow water are all they hear over the car’s purring engine. The wind runs its fingers through Asami’s hair. The car moves like a leopard dolphin through water along the wide streets. She forgets about work, her nightmares, her responsibilities. This morning, she is free. Her water bender sits quietly beside her, staring at all the things passing by. Her hair glides in the wind. Asami likes to think she enjoys letting her hair down for this purpose alone. 

They make their way up the coast and into a secluded ridge. Asami pulls Sanya out of the car and drags her near the edge of the ridge. She inhales the salty sea air and looks out into the vast sea. The sun rises over the horizon, greeting the land with a blanket of light. The sea, like a giant moving mirror reflects the sun’s light, giving onlookers a gift. The illusion of millions of jewels, sparkling just for them. Asami squeezes Sanya’s hand. The girl pulls her closer. The wind, as though blessing their relationship, wraps them in a whirlwind. Asami wonders if any spirits reside here, if they are allowing the girls to stay. In her mind, she thanks them. 

“Asami, do you want to do something with me?” Sanya does not turn to face her. 

She looks over the edge of the ridge. They are only several meters above the water, high enough for them to jump. A thought that has surely crossed the water bender’s mind. She raises an eyebrow. “What is it?” 

“Water bend with me?”

Taken aback by the girl’s response, Asami turns to her with her mouth agape. “Sweetheart, I hate to break it to you but I was an earth bender. Was, as in, no longer able to bend. I couldn’t bend water anyway.” She scoffs. 

Sanya lets go of her hand and takes a step forward. She takes a thin shard of limestone from the cliff’s edge and raises her free hand. And stream of water flows into her hand and solidifies into a shard of ice. She turns to Asami and holds out bother her hands. 

“Ice and stone aren’t so different.” She gives Asami the shard of rock. “They’re both tough and hard to deal with. In their own way of course. Different kinds of ice, like different kinds of rock have distinct textures. Both have crystal structures.”

Asami raises an eyebrow. 

“I learned that bit in university.” She answers a question that has yet to leave Asami’s mind. 

“People just think they completely different. They aren’t really that much different are they?”

She smiles. “I guess not.” She drops the shard of stone. “Okay, I’ll do it. What do you need me to do?”

Sanya tosses the shard of ice over her shoulder and motions for Asami to come closer to the edge. 

She obeys. “Okay, what now?”

Sanya takes her place behind her. She stands so close Asami can feel her breath on her neck, but the girl does not touch her. 

“Trust me.” The water bender mutters in her ear. 

Once more, on this ridge by the sea, Asami gives this girl control of her body. Sanya takes a deep breath, Asami does the same. The water bender’s arms find their way beneath her own. Her limbs are limp, resting atop Sanya’s. She watches sea water rise from beyond the cliff’s edge and come down in a gentle cascade. Sanya’s knees poke the back of her own, she complies and takes a step to the right. Their arms move in gentle circles. The floating stream of water follows their every movement. Ribbons of shimmering clear liquid dance before her eyes. She is mesmerized. For a moment, she forgets about the rest of the world. Their movements become faster, then slower. An icy dragon slithers its way around Asami’s leg and up her torso. She cannot understand the feeling of warmth it leaves on her body. The dragon dissipates and becomes two koi fish. A cog of ice rests on the head of one, while a crescent moon rests on the other. The fish swim in the air before them. They follow each other and swim through one another, exchanging the symbols on their heads.  

Sanya drops the fish back into the sea and steps away from Asami. “That’s probably the closest I’ll get to being able to dance with you.” She jams her hands into her pockets while kicking around a rock at her feet. 

“It was wonderful. You’re wonderful.” She takes the girl’s face in her hands and kisses her forehead. 

Sanya’s face flushes red. She turns away, allowing the wind to blow her hair into her face. “I try.”

“Do you want to head back?”

The water bender nods yes. 

Asami takes her hand as they head back to the car. She stops and holds up Sanya’s hand. She slips her bracelet down her wrist and onto Sanya’s. 

“Wait, what?”

“I want you to have it.”

“But this belonged to your mother. I can’t take it.” 

“You gave me your grandfather’s boomerang without a second thought.”

Sanya opens her mouth to protest.

Asami’s eyes plead with her. _Please. Please. Please._ She repeats in her mind. 

“Okay.” She agrees with grin.  

The ride back to the hotel mimicked the ride to the cliff. An occasional comment about a place they would like to visit during their stay or a humorous observation breaks the silence. 

Asami pulls into the hotel foyer and hands Sanya the keys. “Are you sure you don’t need me to drive it wherever you got it?” 

“I’ll be fine. I’ll meet you back in the room.” She sends Asami off with a kiss.

She nods and makes her way into the hotel. A queue of patrons has formed at the front desk. The same girl from earlier greets her with a nod. Asami smiles before taking a drink from her canteen. She passes by two guests, two elderly men walk hand in hand in vibrant matching tops. She cannot help but smile at them. She wonders if she will ever get the chance to wear over the top clothing in her old age with the one she loves. The thought causes a snicker.

She arrives at their door. Her hands search her pockets, but they come up empty. 

“Sanya has the key.” She groans to herself. 

She leans on the opposite wall and fiddles with the sleeves of her jacket. She hears two sets of footsteps and hushed murmuring. 

“Haru, I think that’s her.” A woman’s voice whispers. 

“Lian, don’t” A man mutters. 

“Oh hush!”

She looks up to see a woman beaming in front of the door beside to their room. An irritated man stands behind her with his arms crossed.

“Hi.” The woman waves. 

“Hello.” Asami returns the greeting. 

“Are you in two oh six?” She asks. 

Asami nods yes. “Yes ma’am.”

The woman’s eyes light up. The man shrinks behind her. 

“I guess we’re neighbors!” The woman’s smile grows large. 

“I guess we are.” She displays her best business smile. 

“Are you Sanya?”

“Lian please.” The man covers his face with his hands. 

“I’m not.” She pushes herself off the wall and turns her full attention to the couple.  

“I think I just heard my name.” Sanya calls out. 

The water bender makes her way down the corridor. She greets Asami with a hand on her back before addressing the woman, who cannot contain her giddiness. 

“I’m sorry, have we met?” The water bender asks the woman. 

Asami watches. She never thought she would become an overprotective girlfriend. But, recent events have her reconsidering that thought. 

“We have not. But my husband and I have heard of you. Quite a bit actually.” 

Asami watches the man as she brings her canteen up to her lips. 

“Oh?” Sanya cocks her head to the side in confusion. “From who? If I may ask?” 

The woman’s eyes shift to Asami. “From her I guess. She was shouting your name all night.” 

Asami spits out her water. Blood rushes to her face. She is frozen and wide eyed. 

“Lian!” The man shouts. 

Sanya stands with her mouth agape. She rushes to their door and unlocks it. She runs into the room without closing it. 

The man pulls his wife into their room and slams the door shut. 

She shakes the shock from her being and wipes her mouth on her sleeve. She runs into the room and locks the door. 

She finds Sanya hiding under a blanket on the bed. 

“Shouldn’t I be the one hiding in embarrassment?” She sits beside the lump under the blanket. 

Sanyathrows back her covers. “It was my name they heard.”

“But they heard my voice!” Asami tries to keep a straight face. She fails. 

The water bender catches her infectious laughter and joins her. 

“Looks like you have a fan. That woman was really excited to meet you.” She teases. 

“I’m glad you find this all very funny.”

“Who was the one who told me to laugh at my problems?” Her fingers jab Sanya’s stomach.

“Okay, okay. It’s not that bad.” He wriggles away from Asami’s poking. “Is it just me or did they seem a bit jealous.” 

Asami laughs away whatever embarrassment she had just a moment ago. Perhaps, in the past she would have dwelled on the situation. Today, she laughs at it. She will never understand how this girl is able to bring joy to the oddest of situations. 

“What do you want to do now?” Sanya asks. 

“Breakfast? I know you’re hungry.”

“To be fair, aren’t I always hungry?”

“For me or for food?” 

“Why not both?” She shrugs. 

Asami’s jaw begins to ache from smiling so much in such a short amount of time. She never imagined she would be able to laugh after all she has been through in the last year. Yet, here she sits, laughing with the daughter of the moon. She hopes one day she and Sanya will be just like the elderly couple she saw walking down the corridor, tacky shirts and all. 

“Sanya, can I pick what we do after breakfast?” 

“Of course. What do you want to do?”

She bites own on her lower lip and stares at the bed sheet. Blood rushes to her face. She plays with the words in her mouth. She looks up, curious eyes wait for her to speak. She takes the water bender’s face in her hands and kisses her with the hope that her lips will transfer her unspoken message. The girls fall deeper into their kiss, nearly forgetting the embarrassment they just suffered. 

Asami pulls away. “I want the neighbors to learn my name next.” Her lips curl into an impish smirk. 

Sanya mirrors the lust in her eyes. “I think we can manage that.” 

 

 

 

 

 


	15. Mothers and Daughters: Lin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone asked me to do a thing about Lin, Sanya, Asami, and their mothers. Seeing as how, you really don't see mother/daughter relationships on the show. I felt bad writing this and I'm not sure if you'll like it. If you do, I will post Sanya's and Asami's stories as I finish writing them. If not, I will just delete this and we can act like nothing ever happened. Having said that, I would like to take this time to thank you for reading this. I really appreciate it even if you didn't like it, thanks for giving me and nonsense a chance.

The comforting smell of wet dirt and grass fill her. Autumn’s cool morning breeze dries the sweat on her face. She looks back to see her home. A single house, beside it a lake and several man made hills. She thinks she can see her family in the backyard, two girls running about with a white wolf and large man tending to a garden. She shakes her head. Her eyesight has never been that good, yet the image stays in her mind. Lin continues to hike up the hill. It has been exactly fifty days since she last set foot on this soil. She wonders if she is getting old or if this hill is getting bigger. Each step makes her heart pound, but she is not winded in the least. She feels as though someone is watching her, but there is no one to be seen. 

The image of her family back home fades. Her mind fills with memories. Ashes dance in the wind. The smell of burnt flesh replaces that of earth. The wound in her heart is reopened. Her grip on the strap of her rucksack tightens. She takes a deep breath and continues her march. Lin swallows the lump in her throat, with that, the flood of emotions that came with it. 

She looks up to find that same large tree. The tree’s top peeks over the hill. It’s vines sway in the soft breeze. It grows as she walks closer. She is relived to finally have a moment alone. Though, she cannot remember spending any time with her family once they returned to Ba Sing Se. For whatever reason she cannot say, she isolated herself. She was not strong enough for them. How could she face her family after all that’s happened?

She watches her boots crush blades of grass. She turns to find them standing upright once she has passed. How funny it must be to wish for the strength of a blade of grass. 

“Hello.” A man says as she reaches the top. 

She looks up. Her body tenses, ready for a fight. She relaxes once she sees a thin, shirtless man in harem pants sitting in the shade of the tree. He sits cross legged with his eyes closed. His brown skin is wrinkled and weathered, as though he has spent too much time in the sun. His dark curly hair is tied into a tight bun sitting atop his head. A beard covers the lower half of his face. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I’ll come back later.” She turns to leave. 

“Why?”

“Excuse me?”

“Why come back later? There is plenty of room here for the both of us.” 

Lin stands with her mouth agape. Her mind races to come up with an excuse. She would rather do her business alone. 

“You are connected to this hill, yes? The energy here is… Stronger now that you are here. Please, come sit with me.”

Lin shrugs. She shuffles to the tree, removing her coat on the way. She drops her coat and, with gentle hands, sets down her rucksack. “I guess you could say that.” She takes a seat adjacent to the man. 

“You have come for a reason, a personal reason?”

“I don’t normally answer those types of questions from strangers.” Lin crosses her arms. 

“Guru Sharukh.” The man opens his eyes and grins. 

The man’s smile is comforting to her, but she cannot explain why. 

“What?”

“I am Guru Sharukh.” His grin widens. “Now, we are not strangers.” 

“I don’t remember giving you my name.” She gives him her signature iron stare. 

The guru is unwavering. A small smirk remains on his face. He closes his eyes again. 

They sit in silence. Lin, like the stone in her veins, is still. She waits. She listens. Not one muscle in her body moves. She does not blink. Her mind races, and she allows it. She pays no mind to passing thoughts. She focuses on the man’s heartbeat. It is slow and calm. His breathing is steady. His body is completely still, not a single shiver disturbs him. 

The metal bender exhales. “Lin,”

“Beifong, yes.” He opens his eyes. “You see. We are not strangers.”

“You know only my name.” 

“Like knowing the name of a song, but not knowing its melody.” He chuckles to himself. “But, I hear a bittersweet song from the spirit of this hill.” 

Lin’s jaw tightens. Could her mother’s spirit be here with her right now? She does not doubt it is possible. 

“Please, do what you have come here to do. Do not mind me.” 

With reluctance, her hand makes its way to her rucksack at a snail’s pace. She retrieves a photo of her mother. The fallen earth bender wears her signature crooked grin. Two sticks of incense and an apple come out of the bag.She places the photo against the tree and the apple before it. “I came for my mother.” She lights the incense and sticks it into the soft ground. 

“I see. So you are the daughter of the spirit that resides in this hill. It is my pleasure to meet you.” 

Her face twists in confusion. She opens her mouth to speak, but her questions are caught in her throat. She takes a deep breath and straightens her back. “Excuse me?”

“Did you not feel it as walked up here? This hill, it grows into a mountain. The spirit residing here, she makes it grow.”

A small laugh comes from her lips. “That sounds like mom, alright.” She stares at her mother’s photo. “She was a mountain herself.” She allows herself a small laugh. “Sometimes I feel like I’ll wake up and she’ll be in the kitchen being mad about something or another.” 

Guru Sharukh giggles. The man’s small laugh eases Lin into a state of relaxation. 

“I never knew I’d miss her this much.” She exhales as does her best to suppress any rising emotion. 

Memories of her mother’s laugh, her embrace, her punches all fill her mind. She remembers the night she held Toph’s lifeless body in her arms. She became a child again. _She’ll wake up, she’ll wake up. She has to._ She said to herself that night. Her fist clenches a handful of grass. She wills her tears back into her eyes. She cannot crack. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever. 

“Miss Beifong,” Guru Sharukh calls out to her. “You bend metal, you are not metal yourself.” 

“What?” 

The guru smiles. He turns to face Lin. They sit face to face under the shade of the old tree. The wind carries the incense down the hill. The smell of warm spices fills the air. She remembers eating breakfast with her mother when she was child. Memories of mornings when her mother would pretend to be this so-called melon lord. She would chase her around the house and catch her in the kitchen every time. She remembers times when she carried on her mother’s stubbornness, how it would drag out the fights they had. She wonders why they fought at all. It seems to trivial now that she sits here, the very place where her mother’s funeral pyre burned. 

“Clear your air chakra Miss Beifong.” The guru puts his hands together over his chest. 

“You can call me Lin.” Her voice crack. She clears her throat. “I don’t know how to do that. Or what that is. It sounds like something twinkle toes would say.” 

Guru Sharukh lets out another giggle. He puts a hand over his heart. “Grief in your heart does not allow you to love.” 

She shakes her head. “No, no I think I do that just fine.” 

Lin thinks back on the last month with her family. She has trouble remembering their faces. Isolation seemed to be the best course of action. She cannot be their rock if she is constantly cracking. There were many things to be done, or rather, there were many things she did to keep busy. She refused to grieve. Perhaps, for whatever reason, she felt her mother would return. That maybe this was all a bad dream and she would wake soon. Her eyes wander to the photo of Toph as though her mother would crawl out of the photo and make one of her jokes. Her hand balls into a fist. The earth rumbles beneath them. 

“She just left. How could she just leave me. I’m not,” Lin exhales the tension in her body. “I’m not as strong as she is. I never was and never will be.” Her voice cracks. 

“It is okay to grieve my friend.” 

“We’re friends now?” Lin wipes away a stray tear. “I don’t know anything about you and yet, you seem to know quite a bit about me.” 

“Only what the spirit who resides here tells me.” The guru smiles. “Your chi is strong. Perhaps, the spirit will speak to you as well. But your heart is in too much grief. What has passed, has passed. What good does it do to dwell?”

The earth shakes beneath them. Guru Sharukh is unmoving. His heartbeat remains steady. Lin’s anger rises upon hearing the last sentence. 

“You don’t get to say that to me. You didn’t have to watch your mother’s life slip away in your arms. You didn’t have to burn her. You don’t have to live with what she left behind.” Clods of dirt roll down the hill as an earthquake shakes the ground. 

“Let go of your grief.” Guru Sharukh’s voice is engulfed by the earth’s growling.

Lin does not hear him speak. Her thoughts are consumed by anger. “The last conversation we had,” She takes a moment to collect herself. “I told her, the plan was not to die. But she still…” The rumbling continues. “She didn’t follow the plan.” Leaves fall from the tree’s vines. “Sometimes I’m mad at the girls, thinking maybe if they done more she’d still be here. That’s so wrong isn’t it?” She takes a breath. “Other times I’m angry at myself, because maybe it was my fault.” 

“There is no fault to claim.” The guru says. 

The rumbling continues. Lin can feel the shifting of the earth beneath her. Her tears fall freely now. “I would give anything, even my own life, to have her back.” 

“How did she pass?”

“Saving a life.”

“Do you think she would want to you to give your life to bring her back.”

_Don’t be dunderhead Linorra!_ She can hear mother’s voice in her head. Or perhaps, she is whispering through the earth. Lin’s mind is too much of a mess to tell the difference. A smile creeps its way across her face. She shakes her head no. 

“Do not let,”

“Her sacrifice be in vain.” She finishes his sentence. 

He only smiles with his hand on his heart. 

The rumbling becomes softer. The metal bender sighs. It would do her no good to become angry enough to destroy this hill. 

“I just miss her. I don’t know what to do with myself some days. All because I miss her.” 

The guru nods. 

“She was supposed to be my rock, but now she’s gone.” Her tears fall freely. She watches as each drop seeps into the fabric of her pants. “I can’t be strong all the time.” 

“No one should ask such a burden of you.”

The wind blows again, as though it were trying to dry her eyes. She cannot remember the last time she cried this hard. There was a never a need to. Her mother was always there to make it better. 

No words are spoken. Lin’s sobs are carried away by the wind. She does her best to suppress her cries, but she is only human. Her shoulders jerk with each tear that drops. Her stomach ties itself into knots, unable to digest the rush of emotions flooding her body. Breathing becomes difficult as she hiccups with each sob. Flashbacks of the night her mother died playback in her head. _Take care of the family, you’re their rock now._ A charred bloodied hand reaches for her face, unlocking the archives of her memories. She sees each moment she spent with her mother. Laughing. Fighting. Training. Living. She begins to shake, the sorrow flooding her veins becomes too much. Her memories fade away. Her mother fades away. She lets out a cry. The earth shakes violently. More leaves fall from the tree’s branches and vines. Guru Sharukh is knock off his seat. The birds taking shelter in the tree fly away at the sound of the woman’s shriek. She shudders with each labored breath. She is exhausted. Her shoulders drop. She wipes her face on her sleeves. 

“She’s gone. She’s really gone.” Lin whimpers. 

“But her love for you is eternal.” Guru Sharukh’s voice is low, as though he did not wish to disturb her.

She forgets he is with her. She looks up. His gentle smile is still on his face. Tears stream down his face. She does not know why he is crying as well, and she does not ask. 

“Her love will live forever inside you.” He reaches out. His hand hovers over her chest. He does not touch her. He points to her heart. “And today, it is reborn. A new sort of love for someone else.” 

She thinks of Asami, how much she reminds her of herself when she was younger. Headstrong and unrelenting. She thinks of her niece. The girl’s heart is pure, despite her questionable methods. Li and Jet pop into her mind as well. An image of the large man crying and scolding Jet for digging up his flowers comes to mind. She smiles. She loves her new family. The last of her tears fall. The rumbling stops and the earth is calm. She exhales, parts of her grief leaving with her breath. The incense has burned away, leaving only smoldering stubs. She takes her mother’s photo and brushes away bits of dirt clinging to the frame. She is not angry. Nor is she sad. She feels only fatigue. A rush of wind dries her wet face. 

_Linorra_.

She hears her name in the wind, as though her mother speaks for the last time. 

_Linorra_. 

She hears it again. Lin looks up this time. She drops the photo. Her mother’s spirit hovers in the space before Guru Sharukh. The guru is perfectly still, in a state of trace. His eyes glow white, as though they project her mother’s spirit. 

_I always did have to call you twice before you got out of bed._ Her voice echoes in the wind. Toph flashes a crooked smile. 

“Ma?” 

Toph nods. _It’s me_. 

More tears stream down Lin’s face. She wipes them away, not wanting her mother to see. 

_It’s okay my girl. I am sorry for leaving you. I guess I couldn’t follow the plan._

“You were never one for plans, mom.” Lin finds the strength to smile. 

_How are the girls?_

“Strong.”

Toph nods. Her crooked smirk grows. _And you?_

She takes a deep breath. “Better.” 

_That’s my girl._

Stray tears fall from brilliant emerald eyes. There is no sorrow in her tears though, not anymore. “How are you?” Her voice cracks. 

_You know, dead._ Toph laughs. 

Lin smiles. Her mother was always one for jokes. “Ma, I miss you. I’m sorry, so, so, so sorry that I wasn’t strong enough.” Her eyes are red and achey. She hiccups from a stray sob. 

_I know, Lin. I know. I’m always here. I’ll never be gone. Remember that. You’re doing so good, my girl. Don’t you ever apologize for doing your best._

Lin is silent. She fears she might enter another crying fit if she opens her mouth. Her breaths are short and jagged between shudders. She covers her face. 

_Take care of the girls. They will take care of you. Lin, look at me._

The metal bender looks up as she wipes her face on her sleeve. 

Her mother smiles. Sadness clouds her eyes. _You will always be my little girl. And we are so proud of you._

“We?”

To her left, the spirit of her uncle Aang materializes. He looks just as she remembered him when she was child. His short bread frames his strong jaw while his childish smile brightens his face. To her right, Sokka and Suki appear hand in hand. Her uncle greets her with a toothy grin while her aunt smiles with her simple elegance. The metal bender is speechless. She takes deep breaths to keep her body steady. 

_We are so proud of you._

Her uncles and aunt nod in agreement. 

“I love you.” She says to all of them. 

Only her mother responds. _I love you always my girl._ A small breeze carries away her words as the spirits vanish. 

Guru Sharukh is motionless. His eyes close like a heavy metal shutter over a window. 

Lin closes her eyes as well. She focuses on her breathing, allowing stray sobs and hiccups escape her. Her thoughts dissolve into nothingness. Another gentle breeze dries the tears on her face. For a moment, she thinks she can hear her mother’s voice again. Her lips curl into a grin. With a deep exhale, she releases her grief. 

The pair sit in silence. The wind does not whistle. The birds do not chirp. The earth does not growl. The only sound occupying Lin’s ears is the sound of two heartbeats. The steady drumming soothes her. She opens her eyes to find Guru Sharukh with his gentle smile and a large green bottle in his lap. Two yellow cups sit between them. 

“Leek and plantain juice?” 

A soft chuckle escapes her. “Sure.” 

He pours light brown liquid into the cups. They raise their cups. 

“To love.” The guru says. 

“To love,” Lin smirks. “My friend.” 

The drink deep from their cups. 

Lin cringes as the heavy liquid slides down her throat. She has a terrible need to wash the taste out of her mouth. 

“It is an acquired taste.” 

“A taste I’d rather not acquire if that’s alright with you.” She jokes. 

The guru chuckles. 

“Thank you.” She bends a slab of earth out of the ground and places her mother’s photo in the center. She causes the earth to solidify into a nearly unbreakable substance. “For everything. I owe you one.” 

Guru Sharukh shakes his head. “To share a drink with a friend is a gift in itself.” 

Lin nods. “You are always welcome in my home should ever want a drink that isn’t so,” She eyes the cup before setting it down. “Interesting.” 

He brings his hands together before his chest. “My gratitude to you friend.” 

“I should head home.” She get to her feet. 

“I will be here.” The guru points to her coat. “You are forgetting your jacket.” 

She waves away his words. “Keep it. It’ll get cold soon.” She does not wait for the man to reply as she begins to walk away. 

Lin slings her rucksack over her shoulder. She takes one last look at the small shrine she created for Toph and the man keeping her company. The metal bender makes her way down the hill in silence. The sun has risen higher into the sky, warming her face. A chill breeze wraps its unseen arms around her body. She hears a soft purring in the ground. A small rectangle of earth rises at her feet, nearly causing her to trip. She stumbles as she regains her footing. 

“Very funny mom.” She mutters under her breath. 

 

Lin stands before the door of her home. Her keys hover the keyhole. The house is quiet. Four heartbeats can be felt through the ground. Each steady and calm. She takes a deep breath and enters the house. A white wolf greets her at the door. She pets his head and makes her way to the kitchen. Jet follows. She makes herself a cup of tea before taking a seat. Her eyes are glued on the steam rising from her cup. She was so desperate to wash the taste of Guru Sharukh’s concoction out of her mouth, but now she hesitates. As though the taste is the only thing that will remind her of what happened. She takes a sip of tea. She will never forget. 

A pair of soft footsteps reaches her ears. She does not need to look up to know the girls are here. The chairs on either side of her scrape agains the marble floor. Jet scurries away. Asami sits to her right and Sanya to her left. Her niece rests her head on her arms, curious blue eyes look over her face. Asami faces forward, her hands interlocked and resting on the table. They do not say a word. 

Lin stares at her cup. “Everything alright?”

“I don’t know. Is it?” Asami answers. 

From the corner of her eye she can see her niece grinning. She takes another sip of her tea. Her mother’s otherworldly voice repeats itself in her head. The corners of her mouth curl into a tiny smirk. “Yeah.” 

She is hit from either side by soft punches. The girls giggle. Lin cannot help but join them. She appreciates their understanding. No more needs to be said. Perhaps one day she will tell them what she saw on that hill. 

The woman finishes her tea and gets to her feet. “I’m going to finish packing. Are you two all done? We leave the day after tomorrow.” 

The girls salute. “Yes chief.” They say in unison.

She ruffles Sanya’s hair and plats a kiss on on the top of her head. She turns and kisses Asami’s forehead. Lin walks away before the girls can recover from her unusual display of affection. In her mind she thanks the guru again. Lin turns around to find Sanya in a headlock as Asami plants kisses all over her face. Jet chases his tail. The smell of Li’s garden enters the room from an open window. It has only been a few moments since she emptied her heart, now it is full again. 

 

 


	16. Mothers and Daughters: Sanya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanya meets her mother for the first time. It doesn't go exactly as she imagined.

The sound of festivities seeps in through the walls of her dressing room. Muffled music and indistinct chatter hover in the cool air. Sanya fiddles with a hairpin as she sits before a vanity mirror. She remembers being in this very same room last year. And the year before. And the year prior to that one. It seems the fatigue of this event becomes worse each time. Yet, she dares not miss a single year. It is the only time she comes to the North Pole after all. She tosses the hairpin at her reflection. The white of her hair has been pulled back and braided, a long tail in a sea of black that tumbles over her traditional water tribe tunic. This year, she opted for tight sleeves with no fur trim. A simple light blue tunic over pants a shade darker. Her outfits become simpler each year as she can no longer be bothered to sit through a fitting. Guilt fills her chest as the thought of running away from the event crosses her mind. A knock at the door pulls her out of her thoughts. 

“Come in.” She calls outs. 

“Hey. Are you ready?” Asami walks through the door. 

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Sanya jumps out of her chair and turns around. “How do I look?” 

Asami taps her chin as she eyes Sanya from top to bottom. A playful look in her eyes makes the water bender smile. Perhaps, this year will be different. 

She gives her a thumbs up. “You’ll make all the girls swoon.” 

“That’s great and all, but I’m only interested in making one girl swoon.” Sanya winks. 

“Are you trying to sweet talk your way out of this performance?” Her arms cross.

“Maybe.” 

She shakes her head before taking Sanya by the shirt and dragging her out the door. 

“You do this every year don’t you? Don’t tell me you’re nervous.”

“Maybe I am. This is the first year you’ll see me do this.” 

Asami stops in the empty corridor. She turns to face Sanya. “I’ve seen you fall down a flight of stairs in your underwear. That’s not it.”

Sanya drops her gaze. She searches the floor for an explanation. A wave of guilt surges through her veins. She looks up, her eyes find the entry way to the great hall. “I get tired of doing this every year. But I have to. It’s for them,” She nods toward the great hall. “Not for me.” She smiles in an effort to bring comfort to worried green eyes. “They all think I’m like her, like the Moon Spirit. But I’m not. I’m not,” She exhales, her shoulders drop. “I’m not her.” 

The pair are silent. The roar of applause overtakes the sound of their breathing. Sanya finds comfort in holding Asami’s hand. The same, strong steady hand that has kept her in line since the first time they touched. 

Asami opens her mouth to speak.

The water bender shakes her head. “Don’t worry about it. She gave me life, this is the least I can do.” 

“Sanya, you’re up.” A familiar voice calls out to her. 

She kisses Asami’s forehead. “Coming auntie!” She calls out before running past Asami. 

Sanya always thought her auntie looked in wonderful in blue. A smile sneaks across her face as she remembers listening to the woman complain about having to wear so many layers. Tonight, the woman looks stunning in a traditional dark blue water tribe parka. 

“Ready?” She puts a hand on her niece’s back. 

“As I’ll ever be.” 

An older man with a microphone begins his speech. Sanya tunes out the man’s voices as he mentions something about the moon spirit and her legacy. She looks up to find the man standing on the dais sitting on a large circular pool of crystal blue water. The man continues to talk, but Sanya still does not listen. She closes her eyes and tunes into the energy of the water in the room. She feels the pull of the full moon’s light shinning through the icy ceiling. She takes a deep breath and focuses on the water. It resists. She is unmoving as she respects its refusal to give in to her. She does not wish to dominate, but instead to dance. The water softens and its energies embrace her. She takes a deep breath and opens her eyes. 

The hand on her back clutches her shirt. She looks up to find her auntie’s steel gaze focused on something, or rather, someone in the audience. The crowd is so dense that Sanya cannot find the center of Lin’s attentions. 

“Auntie?” 

Lin breaks her focus. Her grip tightens. Her jaw tenses. 

The man introduces her. The crowd cheers. 

“You have to go.” She pushes her niece forward. 

Sanya stumbles into the spotlight. She forces a smile and waves at the crowd. Their applause is deafening. She does not understand their excitement. She never has. Sanya walks over to the man at the center of the dais and grips his forearm. She curses herself for forgetting his name. 

“Thank you for joining us again this year Sanya, daughter of the moon.” He says over the dying applause. 

The water bender cringes at her title. Was “Sanya” not enough?

“Of course, thank you for having me. For having all this.” She gestures are the great hall. 

Tables are covered in food and drink as citizen of the north pole enjoy their extravagant dinner. Banners featuring the Northern Water Tribe insignia line the walls. The lights have been dimmed so she becomes the main focus of the room. Her stomach begins to twist itself into knots. She turns to the royal family and bows. They return the gesture with a nod. 

“You’ve had the quite the year, haven’t you?” The man continues with his banter. 

Sanya nods. “Well, I try to keep myself busy. Unfortunately that usually means more headaches for my auntie.” 

The crowd laughs. 

She looks over to Lin, her focus is still on the crowd. She knows that look. Her auntie is troubled. Sanya swallows the growing lump of nerves in her throat. Asami appears at Lin’s side with Jet on her heels. She gives Sanya a smile. The water bender’s anxieties dissipate. 

“But I’m sure she still loves you. As we all do.”

The audience cheers. 

 _Me? Or Yue?_ Sanya wonders. She smiles and nods as she mouths a thank you to the crowd. 

“Well, thank you again for joining us. We look forward to your demonstration.”

“I don’t know if I can top that show from the water bending school, it was amazing. I saw that earlier.” She lies. 

The host bows and rouses the crowd to another round of applause. Sanya wishes they would stop. The already low lights dim. She takes a deep breath and finds her connection with the water surrounding the dais. 

Sanya bows before taking a step to her left. She lifts and lowers her hands with her breath, streams of water rise from the pool and surround her. She tunes out any noise she hears from the crowd. Her mind leaves this hall and dives into an eternal ocean in her imagination. With another deep breath she sidesteps and lunges, her body sways like the ebb and flow of the sea’s waves. She cannot see what the water is doing, but she can feel it. It follows her every move, like her liquid dance partner. Sanya moves like a coursing river. Fast, then slow. Smooth then rough. The ribbons of water dance with her. They surround her, guided by her movements. Even when she is still, the water plays before her like an excitable puppy. Sanya stomps her foot into the ground, she must look like an earth bender to onlookers. Ice joins the dance as she mimics movements she copied from Lin and Toph. Waves of ice surge around her as the pool freezes. She leaps into the air and twists before landing. She gets down one knee and extends her arm to mimic the head of a snake. The water forms into gigantic serpent. A smirk grows on her face as the audience gasps. She strikes and recoils, slithers and sways. The serpent glides through the air over the audience before diving back into the pool. Sanya exhales and opens her eyes to find everyone on their feet as they clap. She gives a courteous bow before turning to walk off stage. Lin is nowhere to be seen, but Asami greets with a grin. 

“Did I impress you, Miss Sato?” Sanya teases as she ruffles the fur on Jet’s head. 

Asami taps her chin before shaking her head. “You’ll have to do better than that. The snake was a nice touch though. When did you come up with that?”

“I saw a snake a few days before we left and I thought, that looks cool.” Sanya laughs. “Where’s auntie?” 

She shrugs. “She said she had to talk to someone.” 

The water bender wonders if her aunt went to hunt down the mysterious person in the crowd. 

The pair start make their way down the hall. 

“She was staring at someone in the crowd, I think.” Sanya says as she takes Asami’s hand. 

“Do you think it’s trouble?”

“Isn’t it always with me?” 

Asami laughs. “Stop being such a troublemaker.” She lightly slaps Sanya’s stomach.

The water bender keels over in exaggerated pain. 

Asami begins tickling Sanya. The girls laugh as passersby stare at them. But, by now Sanya is used to eyes on her. They no longer bother her. 

Jet darts forward. The flash of white catches Sanya’s eye. She sees her auntie speaking with a tall woman. Her face provokes a funny sort of nostalgia in the water bender. The hands teasing her side stop and pull her aside. The woman’s deep brown hair is shoulder length. Her grey eyes are bright, but stern. She does not waver under under Lin’s steel gaze. The corners of her lips curl into a tiny smirk. She looks past the woman and catches Sanya’s stare. The woman’s eyes grow large along with her smirk. A stone drops in Sanya’s stomach. Her grandmother’s face flashes in those piercing grey eyes. 

“Do you know that woman?” Asami asks. 

Sanya pulls herself out of the woman’s gaze. “I don’t know.” She leans on the wall beside her girlfriend. Sanya stares at her feet. Uneasiness fills her. She begins rubbing her arms. 

“Sanya?” Asami’s gentle voice pulls her out of her head. 

She shakes her head. “No, no I don’t know her. But have you ever seen someone and you just felt weird?” She sighs. 

Asami leans on the wall beside her. The girl takes her water bender’s hand and plays with her fingers. “Yeah.” Asami turns to look down the hall. 

The woman smiles at them. Lin is desperate to get her attention. But she fails. The woman walks past the metal bender as though she were nothing more than an chittering child. Sanya watches her stride. Confident, careless, and slow. Steps of a woman who cares more for the journey than the destination. She wears a long black trench coat and a deep green shirt. Her knee high boots round out her outfit and causes even more unease in Sanya. 

“Hi there Sanya.” She holds out her hand. Her voice is slow and deep. “You’re a lot taller than I thought.”

The water bender takes the woman’s forearm and gives her a traditional water tribe greeting. “Thanks?”

She becomes aware of Asami’s closeness. The girl crosses her arms and stands up taller. 

“Nice work out there. You’re a pretty great bender.” The woman drawls. 

“Thankyou.” Sanya tries to release the woman’s arm, but her grip will not falter. 

“I like your hair.” She winks. 

“Thanks. I grew it myself.” The water bender turns to Asami and shrugs. 

The woman laughs. “You’ve got a sense of humor just like your grandfather.” 

A smirk on her face sends Sanya into a flurry of emotions she cannot place. “Have we met?” 

The woman frowns, but her eyes still smile. “You don’t remember me?” 

“Yue don’t.” Lin’s voice booms. 

Sanya’s heart drops. It cannot be. Her chest tightens and lump in her throat grows. She looks to her auntie. Horror spreads across her face. Sanya is not used to seeing such panic on her auntie’s face. Asami grips the hem of her shirt. 

The woman groans. “Lin-Lin, you ruined the surprise.” 

A moment of silence between the women is broken only by the whine of a wolf. 

“Well,” Yue begins. “Of course you wouldn’t remember me. The last time I saw you, you no bigger than a sack of apples.” She laughs. 

The water bender pulls her hand free and staggers back into the wall. Asami catches her before she can fall. “Auntie.” Her eyes plead with Lin. 

“Sanya,” Lin rubs her forehead and walks forward. “This is Yue. Your mother.” 

 

The ticking of the wall clock booms in her ears. She wonders how long they have been sitting in her dressing room. Sanya is painfully aware of all the sounds peppering their silence. She sits in one corner of the couch as Yue sits in a chair on the other side of the low table in the center of the room. The water bender’s eyes stare at her bag sitting in the corner of the room. Her gaze moves to the white animal skin rug on the floor. She rubs the sleeves of her arms, wondering if this woman knows of her scars. She wonders if she knows anything about her at all. Sanya looks up to find a smiling face. 

“You must have a lot of questions for me.” She says. 

Sanya begins to nod. She averts her gaze to a tea kettle sitting on the counter. “Would you like some tea?”

Yue lets out a small laugh. “No thanks. Never liked the stuff.” 

Sanya nods. She spots the tin of biscuits beside the kettle. “Biscuits?”

The woman shakes her head no. 

The water bender nods. Her head is mess of thoughts and questions her mind cannot seem to finish. 

“Do you live here?” Sanya clears her throat. “I mean, in the north pole.” 

“No, no too cold for me. I travel around. Never really stay in one place for too long.” 

“Oh.” She searches the floor for words. “That sounds… Fun. I guess.” 

“I read about you in the newspapers.” Yue’s heavy boots clunk as she rests them on the table. “Quite the superhero aren’t you?”

“No, not really.” Her rubbing becomes more furious. “Just helping out.” 

“Got a rash there?” 

Sanya is quick to sit on her hands. “No, no.” She struggles to find an excuse. She dares not tell this woman, her mother, about her bad habit. “Fabric feels a bit weird on your skin after a while.

Yue nods. “That girl out there, she’s your best friend?”

“Girlfriend.” 

The woman raises her brow and gives Sanya another nod. “She’s pretty.” 

“Yeah.” 

“You seem happy.” 

“Yeah.” Sanya averts her eyes. 

Yue lets out another laugh. “We should catch up.” She leans forward as she retrieves a pen and a napkin from her coat pocket. 

The water bender watches her scribble something before pushing the napkin forward. 

“Directions to a cafe in town. We’ll meet for lunch.” She gives the girl a wink before getting to her feet. “You look like her.” She points to the wall behind Sanya. 

The water bender turns to find an artist’s rendition of the Moon Spirit embroidered into a banner. 

Yue walks out the door. “It was good to see you too Lin-Lin.” She says before disappearing down the hall. 

Lin, Asami, and Jet pour into the room. Sanya stares at the napkin sitting on the table before her. 

A gentle hand on her back brings peace to a troubled mind. 

“Everything okay?” Asami asks. 

“Yeah.” She snatches up the napkin before petting Jet’s head. 

“Did she say anything to you?” Lin stands by the door with her hand on her hip. She points at the door. Her furrowed brows and hardened scowl send a jolt of panic down the water bender’s spine. 

“We didn’t really talk.” 

“Lin, is everything okay?” Asami asks as she takes Sanya’s hand. 

Sanya stuffs the napkin into her pocket and rubs her eyes with the heel of her palm. Her brain is slow to digest tonight’s events. She takes a deep breath. “Auntie, if there’s something I need to know, can you please tell me. I’m too tired and not smart enough to figure it out on my own.” 

Lin’s jaw tenses. She turns and takes a look at the door before taking a seat opposite the girls. The look in her eyes sends Sanya retreating into the couch. The weight of her gaze is far too heavy on her chest. She thanks the spirits for the girl beside her holding her hand. 

“Yue and I,” Lin starts. “We were close when we were younger. We argued a lot, but it was never anything serious.” She falls back into her chair. “We got older and she changed. Of course she did. I did too. But, we fought with each other more than we laughed. Then she became pregnant. We had no idea how at first. She had been,” Lin searches the table for the next word to come out of her mouth. “Friendly… With a few man at the time. But she became so reckless afterward. She should have known better, she was carrying a child.” 

Asami squeezes Sanya’s hand as the water bender swallows a lump in her throat. As soon as her mind processes Lin’s words, it is quick to generate questions. 

“Yue ran off a few months after you were born. Auntie and uncle were heartbroken, but they had you.”

She cannot meet her auntie’s gaze. A well of emotion pushes tears forward, but the water bender cannot place why she feels the need to cry. 

“I ran into her a few times while I was working. But I never had the heart to arrest her myself. 

“You saw her but you never told me?” Sanya looks up. 

“What was I supposed to tell you, Sanya? That I nearly arrested your mother while she was trafficking red sand? She never once asked about you or even took the time to come see you!”

The heel of her palm presses into her eyes again. She cannot keep her tears from falling now. “Did she not want me?” She mutters. 

“Clearly not if she,”

“Lin!” Asami scolds the woman. 

The women stare each other down. Lin rolls her eyes in defeat. 

“I know her well enough to be suspicious. She wants something.”

“Lunch.”

“What?” Asami and Lin simultaneously.

“She wants to have lunch with me.” 

“Well, you’re not going are you?” Lin crosses her arms. 

Sanya chews on her lip. She remembers being a child and day dreaming about the day her mother returned. Will tomorrow be the day her dreams become reality? “I’m going.” 

“Sanya!” 

“Lin! It’s not up to you!” Asami interjects. 

“I know you both lost your mothers, but I never had a mother to lose. You got to live at least some of your lives with your moms, I didn’t.” Her voice falters as she finally makes eye contact with her aunt. Wet blue eyes plead for understanding. 

“Fine.” Lin gets to her feet. “She was my family. But she decided to burn that bridge the day she left you behind.” Lin rushes out of the room in a huff. 

The force of the slammed door rattles the room. Sanya sinks into the couch. Asami guides her water bender’s head onto her shoulder. Jet claws at her thighs and whines before he curls up into a ball on the floor. Sanya takes the napkin from her pocket and stares at her scribbles. Her body feels heavy, exhausted by the onslaught of emotion. Her head aches as continues to process the night’s events. 

“Do you want me to go with you?” 

“I think I have to go alone.”Sanya allows herself to melt into Asami’s embrace. “But, can you drive me there? Please? I’m gonna get lost.” She does her best to smile. 

“Of course.” 

A kiss on the forehead from the girl she loves pacifies her thoughts. 

 

The car slows to a stop before Kanna’s Cafe. Sanya takes a deep breath. The brisk arctic air fills her lungs. 

“Do you want me to wait for you?” Asami puts her hand on Sanya’s arm. 

The water bender laughs. “What? Don’t you have anything better to do except wait for me?”

Asami shrugs. “I can wait if you need me to wait.” 

“It’s fine. I can find my way back.” She stares through the cafe’s window and watches its patrons enjoying their lunches. 

She eyes a young woman with a little girl sitting close to the entrance. The girl laughs as the woman offers her a forkful of cake. She tries to call up a memory of a time she sat on her grandmother’s lap and giggled at the sight of sweets. The memory is blurry at best, she cannot remember her grandmother’s face. Instead, she tries to replace that fuzzy face with the face of Yue. Still, she cannot bring about a clear picture. 

“Hey,” Asami’s grip on her arm tightens. “Are you okay?”

Sanya shakes the image from her head. “I’m wonderful.” She leans in to kiss Asami. “Thank you for the ride. I’ll be okay.” 

Asami nods and brush away a loose strand of silver hair from Sanya’s face. “Go, you’re gonna be late.” Her lips smile, but her eyes worry. 

The water bender takes another deep breathe before stepping out of the car. Snow crunches under her boots as she smoothes out her sweater and fusses with her hair. The cafe’s door handle is cold against her palm.

“Hi! Welcome to Kanna’s Cafe. Table for one?” A short young woman greets her as she straightens a stack of menus. She looks up and her eyes widen along with her smile. “You’re,” She motions to her hair. “From last night! Sanya right?”

The water bender laughs. “Yeah, you saw the thing?” Her thumbs point to a moment a behind her. 

“I did!” The hostess comes closer. “That snake was,” She gives a thumbs up. 

“Thanks. I thought it was okay.” Sanya shrugs as though she were unimpressed. “Thanks for coming to the thing last night.” 

“Of course! I’m a big fan of the moon spirit.”

“I didn’t think spirits had fans, but okay.” Her shoulders drop as she points to the name tag on the woman’s chest. “Yukko?” 

The young woman nods. 

“I’m supposed to be meeting someone today.” Sanya’s eyes wander past the hostess’ shoulder and into the cafe. She finds a familiar face sitting at a table near the window. She wonders if Yue has been watching her this whole time. 

“I found them. Thanks.” Sanya is quick to leave the young woman where she stands. 

She walks through a busy cafe with her head down. Sanya is quick to take her seat as soon as she gets to Yue’s table. 

“Hi.” She folds her hands on the table. 

The woman leans back in her seat with one leg resting on her knee. “Hey.” A laugh laces her words. She pushes a tea kettle forward. 

“Thank you.” Sanya pours herself a cup of tea. The corners of her mouth twitch up into a smile. 

“Your girlfriend couldn’t join us?” Yue takes a sip of frothy golden liquid in a large glass mug. 

“She thought we should be alone.” She says over her tea cup. 

“And Lin-Lin?” 

Sanya grins at the nickname. “She’s busy.” The water bender did not have the heart to tell the woman her auntie did not want to see her. 

Yue nods. “So,” She sets her mug on the table. “Tell me about yourself.”

Sanya stares at the steam rising from the cup she cradles in both hands. “I’m not very interesting.” 

“Your fans seem to think otherwise.” She lifts her chin as she looks at something behind Sanya. 

She turns around to find Yukko the hostess and a group of waiters staring at her. She waves at them and forces a smile. “I think they’re more a fan of my mother than me.” Sanya bites her tongue. “I mean, of Yue.” She curses herself. “Not you, the Moon Spirit I mean. Sorry.” 

The woman lets out a laugh. “No, no it’s fine. Truth is, she was your mother. You had no father. But, I’m sure someone told you that already.” 

Sanya nods. 

“Can I ask,” Yue shifts in her seat and leans forward. “Why isn’t it all white?” She points to her hair. 

“I don’t know. Just isn’t.” 

Yue leans back. “Did the kids at school make fun of you for that?”

“Oh yes.” Sanya nods. 

The restaurant’s clamor overtakes the pair’s weak laughter. Plates clink and people chat. Mumbling voices mix with the low roaring of cars passing by outside. Sanya plays with the silverware and sips her tea. She averts her gaze, taking care not to be caught staring at the woman sitting before her. She looks so much like her grandmother. Yet, she looks so little like herself. The woman’s gaze is heavy on her. It burns into her skin. She chews on the inside of her cheek. Her mind churns out question after question. Her heart pounds in her chest. 

“Hi there! I’m Ami, I’ll be your waitress today. Are you two ready to order?”

Sanya exhales, unaware that she had been holding her breath. 

“I’ll have your house special.” Yue says. She looks to Sanya. 

“Same for me.” Her mouth speaks before her brain realizes she has no idea what she has just ordered. 

“I didn’t know you liked sea sprouts. Most people don’t.” Yue raises an eyebrow. 

A nervous laugh comes from the water bender. “How could you know, you’ve been gone my whole life.”

“And now I’m back. So give me a chance to know you.”

“Well, I am like most people and I hate sea sprouts. Seaweed noodles please.”

“Ma’am,” The waitress butts in. “That _is_ our house special.”

Yue grins. “Gotcha. I know enough about you to know you like jokes.” 

The water bender relaxes in her seat. She allows herself to smile. “The house special is fine thanks.” 

The waitress nods and walks away. 

“Nice to see you finally loosen up. I didn’t feel like that was the real you.” 

 _You want to know the real me?_ Sanya thinks to herself. “Sorry, I’m just a bit nervous. I spent a lot of time day dreaming about what it would be like to finally meet you. I never even saw that many pictures of you.” 

“I get that. You’re probably wondering where I’ve been.”

The water bender nods before taking a sip of tea. She can hold eye contact with the woman now. 

She takes a swig of golden liquid and shakes her head. “I wasn’t ready to be a mom. It’s not like I asked to get pregnant. Spirits don’t exactly ask you before they do things. I couldn’t take care of you. Not as well as mom, dad, and aunt Toph. On top of that, being the daughter of a Kyoshi warrior and,” She puffs up her chest and deepens her voice. “The legendary Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe.” She laughs. “I didn’t want to live in their shadow. You understand.” 

Sanya nods. 

“I meant to come back. Really, I did. Once I grew up a bit. But you know how it is. You can’t just leave something you’ve built up.”

“What did you build up?” 

“A life.” She takes another sip of her drink. “I don’t know what Lin told you. She probably didn’t make me out to be a paragon of virtue. I just live my life differently. You can’t be mad at me for that can you?” 

“I guess not.” Sanya traces the rim of her cup. 

“That’s my girl.” Yue grins. “You turned out all right without me.”

The water bender nods. Her mouth drops into a frown as she stares at her tea. 

“Before I forget,” Yue starts. She reaches for something below the table and hands Sanya a paper bag. “I hope it fits. You’ve got pretty broad shoulders now that I’m getting a good look at you.”

Sanya hunches in her seat as she accepts the bag. “Thank you.” 

Yue laughs. “Don’t be shy. Nothing wrong with that.” 

She forces a smile before digging through gifting tissue. She pulls out a a deep navy leather jacket. White embroidered stripes run down each arm. Sanya holds it up and and eyes each detail on the jacket. “Oh wow.” She mutters. 

“I think you would look really good in that.” 

Sanya drops the jacket in her lap to find the waitress setting down their bowls of noodles. 

“Thanks. I hope I look okay without it too.” Sanya jokes. 

The waitress nods. “Oh, you do.” 

“Hey now, my daughter is happily taken.” Yue gives Sanya a wink. 

The waitress giggles and leaves them to have their lunch. 

“I got it this morning. I know it’s probably nothing considering you have that huge inheritance now. Try it on.” 

The water bender gets to her feet and slips into the jacket. It is tight across her back, but it does not bother her. She looks down at herself, pleased with how she looks. “How do you know about that?” 

“Lin told me.”  

“Oh. Well, thank you for the jacket.” Sanya takes her seat. She wonders why her auntie would share that with this woman. She wonders why Lin would share anything at all. 

The woman waves away her words. “It’s the least I could do. I’ve been gone a while. Consider this an apology and welcome back present.” 

“Wouldn’t I be the one giving you a present then?” Sanya asks before shoveling noodles into her mouth. 

Yue laughs. “Spending time with you is good enough present.” 

She tries to hide her smile behind a curtain of noodles. 

“Got plans the rest of the day? I think we’ve got a lot of catching up to do. Are you up to it?”

Sanya stares at her bowl. Her jaw tenses as she swallows a mouthful of noodles. She has been waiting her whole life to meet her mother, why is she hesitating now? Lin’s warnings ring in her mind. A single smile from the woman across her silences her auntie’s voice. 

“Yeah, I’m up for it.” 

 

Sanya staggers to the front door of the house they have rented for the week. Her skin feels hot under the leather of her new jacket. A cool night breeze brushes against her face. The world spins and the ground looks as though it is made of a billion ants. Her hands struggle to unlock the front door. She laughs to herself. Fuzzy scenes of her day flash in her day. Her younger self never would have imagined spending the night with her mother in a bar. The door swings open under her. She drops her keys. 

“Sanya!” Asami catches the water bender as she stumbles into the house. 

“Hey you.” Her words are slurred. She gets to her feet after scrambling to pick up her keys and leans on the wall. “Do you like my new jacket?” 

“It’s wonderful, but where have you been? Are you drunk?”

“Everywhere and no, not at all.” She trips as she struggles to remove her boots. Once again, she falls into Asami’s arms. 

“It’s three in the morning Sanya, why didn’t you call? We were so worried.” Asami guides her onto the couch in the other room. 

“Why is it so hot in here?” She worms out of her jacket. “Aren’t you hot?” She tugs at Asami’s long pajama bottoms. 

“What happened? Where were you?” 

“Spending time with mom!”

Asami slaps her hand onto Sanya’s mouth as the water bender falls back into her seat. “You’re gonna wake Lin.” 

Sanya nods. 

Asami’s hand falls from her mouth. “It’s not that I’m not happy that you’ve finally met her, but I’ve been talking to Lin, and Sanya,” She takes Sanya’s face in her hands and forces her to look. “Please be careful with her.” 

“No, no. It’s fine. She’s fine. She gave me a jacket,” She points at the pile of leather on the floor. “And took me out. We had fun.” 

“Did she say anything to you?”

She shakes her head. “She asked about your company.” A laugh laces her words. “I think she wants to see if you’re good enough for her little girl.” She jabs her chest. “And she asked about my inheritance a lot, I think. I can’t really remember. You are so pretty.”

“Okay, it’s time for bed.” Asami gets to her feet and pulls her girlfriend up with her. 

Sanya’s body feels much too heavy tonight. She allows Asami to carry her. She looks up to find a figure leaning against the corridor doorway. A wolf sulks around the figure’s legs. 

“About time you got in. Have fun?” Lin crosses her arms. 

“Yes.” Sanya gives her a thumbs up. 

“Do you mind telling me how Yue found out about your inheritance?” 

She points at her. “You told her.” 

“I did no such thing.” Lin voice cuts through the air. 

“Oh.” Sanya shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter.” 

“It doesn’t matter? It doesn’t matter to you that she miraculously shows up out of the blue four months after you inherit a vast amount of money and she knows all about it? That doesn’t concern you at all?” Her voice rises. 

“Lin, please.” Asami begs the woman to lower her voice. 

Sanya sways away from Asami and stands on her own. She takes several steps forward and stands up as straight as her intoxicated body allows. “Why are you so against her? Why are you so against me having a mother?” 

“She’s no good Sanya. Listen to,”

“No!” 

Jet whines and scurries behind Asami’s legs. The girl does her best to comfort the wolf. 

“You listen. Ever since she came back you’ve been bad mouthing her. But you couldn’t even give her the time of day. Why?”

“Because I know her.” 

“Knew. You knew her. She can’t be the same person.” Sanya pleads with her auntie. She is finding it harder to stand upright. She rubs her forehead, hoping to rub away the effects of the alcohol. She can feel tears boiling in her eyes. 

“You need to get some rest. We can talk about this in the morning.” Asami puts a hand on Sanya’s back. 

“No.” She moves away. “There’s nothing to talk about. I’m gonna spend time with her. You just don’t get it.” She looks from Asami to Lin. “You all had a chance to have a mom. I didn’t. Just let me have my chance.” 

“Fine.” Lin says. “Don’t expect me to come to the rescue when she messes up.”  

Her words are daggers to Sanya’s heart. She storms out of the room. 

The wolf follows with a soft howl. 

Sanya stumbles up the stairs and collapses at the top. Tears fall from her eyes. She crawls to her room and leans back against the door. Jet paces before her, unsure how to comfort his human. Sanya covers her mouth with her hand, suppressing any whimpers. Would gaining a mother mean losing her auntie? The thought breaks her heart. Her stomach churns. She is unsure if it from the overabundance of alcohol in her system or her overactive emotions. She closes her eyes. Her nails dig into the skin on her forearm. The pain is dulled thanks to the alcohol. Jet rests his head on her lap and licks her fingers. Tears force themselves through closed eyelids. A heavy head falls to the side as intoxication lulls her to sleep.

 

Jet trots beside her as she walks along an empty street. Sanya shoves her hands into the pockets of the jacket Yue gave her. The past week with her has been everything she imaged when she was child. But, she never expected her mother’s return would create so much tension between her and her family. She has spent so much of the past week out and about with her, that she cannot remember a moment she spent with Asami or Lin. She shakes loose strands of hair out her eyes and looks down that the wolf by her side. 

“You’re not mad at me too are you?”

Jet barks. His tongue hangs from his mouth as he watches his human walk. 

“Hey!” 

Sanya looks up to see Yue waving at her. She has tied her hair back in such a way that she looks just like her mother. Sanya’s eyes widen at the sight. An image of her grandmother flashes before her. She waves back and flashes a smile. 

“Things still tense at home?” 

She shrugs. 

Yue pats her back. “Brought your friend today?” She tries to pet Jet. 

The wolf backs away. His ears fold back and stay close to his head. 

“He’s shy.” 

Yue nods. “My friends aren’t so shy. They’ll love you.” 

They walk down the street of old buildings. Sanya looks up to find broken windows and abandoned structures. 

“Your friends hang out in weird places.” 

“They’re not exactly the posh types.” Yue laughs. “Less like Lin-Lin and your girl, more like us.”

“What? I’m not sophisticated? I’m totally fashionable!” Sanya snorts. She lowers her head to hide her frown. Yue unknowingly opened an old wound. 

“Well, here we are.” Yue stops before an old warehouse. 

Sanya gulps. Abandoned buildings have never housed anything good for her. She takes a deep breath. _I’m with mom, what’s the worst that could happen. I’ll be fine._ She thinks. 

Yue takes a ring of keys from her coat pocket and unlocks the industrial garage door. Jet whines and paws at Sanya’s legs. 

“What?” She scratches his head. 

He nips at her calves and whines. 

“What’s up with you?” 

The wolf bites her pant leg and pulls. He lets go and paces. 

Sanya turns around and squats down. She takes Jet’s face in her hands. “Do you know the way home?”

He yelps.

“Everything okay?” Yue calls out. 

“Yeah. He just gets really nervous around a lot of new people.” 

Jet licks her face. 

Sanya retrieves a dog collar from her back pocket and affixes the collar around Jet’s neck. “Go on home, buddy. I’ll be fine here.” She pats his back. 

Jet runs off. He pauses and looks back, asking for permission one last time. Sanya waves him away. 

The water bender stands and turns to find a warehouse full of wooden crates. People move, inspect, and stack the crates. Those nearest to the door quickly shove hay into nearby crates. They greet Sanya with a suspicious eye as they work. Many of the workers keep the hoods of their parkas up. They are either unaccustomed to the northern cold or wish to hide their faces. Sanya prays to spirits that the reason for their concealment is the former. 

“Come on in, I’ll give you a tour.” Yue waves for her daughter to follow. 

“What exactly do you do? I don’t think you ever mentioned having a job.” Sanya eyes the figures standing over a crate as though they did not wish for her to see its contents.

“I didn’t? Well, I was just so focused on learning about you I guess.” She puts her arm around Sanya’s shoulders. 

“I’m,” A charming grin grows on her face. “In the trading business.” 

Sanya nods. “That’s why you’ve been asking about Asami’s company, right?” She says more to reassure herself than to actually question Yue. “Sorry, I don’t know much about business but I think your trading company is a little too small to be dealing with Future Industries or The Beifong Group.” 

The woman lets out a hardy laugh. “We don’t trade things that are so big. Hey Jin! Show my daughter what we trade.” A large burly woman with a crescent moon tattooed on her right cheek reaches into the crate before her and holds up a white porcelain vase adorned with blue painted flowers and vines. 

A sigh of relief leaves Sanya’s lips. “Pottery and junk. Good.” 

“What?”

“Pottery!” Sanya bites her lip. “In trunk!” She gives a thumbs up to Jin. “Good work packing that!” She calls out. 

Yue raises an eyebrow. “Anyway, I was hoping to make this a mother-daughter sort of thing. What do you say?”

Sanya freezes in her tracks. Her mouth hangs open. The smile on Yue’s face warms her heart. How could she say no? “I’m honored and confused. I don’t know anything about trading or running a business. You understand, I can’t leave the life I’ve built, the life I’m still building.”

“Oh,” Yue waves away her concerns. “You wouldn’t have to. All you’d have to do is invest in us and you can go on doing whatever it is you’re doing with that pretty little girlfriend of yours and my bullheaded cousin.” 

“Investment?” 

“Yeah, just to help us along a little. You know, a couple of thousand yuan is all. Then we’d be totally out of our hair.”

“Oh.” Sanya’s shoulders drop as she jams her hands into her pockets. “You’re leaving again?”

Yue pats the water bender’s shoulder. “Don’t look so down. I’ll come visit you all the time. But, you understand I have a business to run. We’re not doing so well right now, so that investment of yours would really help me out. You wouldn’t want your old mom to go bankrupt would you?” 

She shakes her head no. 

“That’s my girl. So, you’ll invest?”

Sanya chews on her bottom lip. She looks around at all the bodies moving a packing crates. All these people would would be jobless if she refuses to give Yue money. She nods. “Yeah, it’s not a big deal.”

“Great!” Yue throws her arms around Sanya’s neck. 

She is motionless. This is the first time she has ever experienced her mother’s embrace. It is not at all how she expected it. It is cold and stiff, not warm and comforting like she expected. She wraps her arms around Yue’s waist and squeezes with the hope that she might find what she is looking for in this hug. The woman pulls away. The smile on her face is contagious. Sanya cannot help but smile as well. 

“Hey guys! Listen up!” She stands on a small crate. “My daughter as agreed to invest in our little venture here. We’re back in business people!” 

Several workers give Sanya a playful jab to the arm as the warehouse erupts in cheers. She thinks she’s had enough of cheering crowds for one week as she politely smiles and nods. 

“Not so fast Yue!” A deep male voice calls out from the other side of the warehouse.

Yue nearly falls off the crate. Sanya is quick to catch her. Several workers flee from the open garage door. Others drop their work along with their hoods. They all have crescent moons tattooed on their cheeks. Confusion contorts Sanya’s face. 

“You thought you got run off to this chunk of ice after you cheated me out of my,” The man repeatedly jabs his chest. “Product.” A dozen men and women follow this muscular man into the warehouse. 

He is clad in leather. Scars run all along his face and cut through his short cropped hair. A dark beard covers the lower half of his face. Some of the people behind him carry axes and clubs. 

“Calm down, Keiji, we can talk this over. I’ve got money coming. No need to worry.” 

“Mom,” The word feels foreign on her tongue. “Who is this?”

“Umm,” Yue takes a step back. “An old business partner.” 

Sanya scoffs. “Hey guy, calm down. It’s just pottery and junk. We can talk about this.” 

“Out of the way girl.” She shoves Sanya aside.

She falls onto one of the open crates. 

“Hey! Don’t touch her!” 

“What’s this? Yue caring about someone other than herself?” Keiji laughs. 

Sanya shakes off the shock. The man is unbelievably strong. She lifts herself up, but her hand slips. A small vase cracks under her fist. 

“Crud!” She curses under her breath. 

Shards of the vase fall away to reveal balls of paper within. A spot of red catches Sanya’s eye. She brushes away the shards and paper to find bags of red sand hidden within the vase. Her heart breaks. Anger and confusion make her head pound. She ignores the yelling behind her. Sanya takes another vase and cracks it open. With each piece of pottery she breaks, she finds more red sand. She picks up a plastic bag full of the fine crimson powder. 

“This,” Her voice cracks. “This is what you’re trading? This is your business?” Her voices is louder now. 

“Sanya I can explain.” 

“And you wanted to get me involved just for a bit of cash.” 

“Excuse me, that’s my product you’re holding there kid.” Keiji points at her with a hook sword. 

“Could you shut up real quick.” The fuse on Sanya’s patience has run out. She hurls the package of drugs onto the floor. 

“Hey!” Keiji screams. Several of his lackeys step forward. 

A fine red cloud appears at her feet. She waves it away, not wanting to inhale any of it. Her hands are covered in the red powder.

“Don’t you touch my daughter!” Yue screams. 

Keiji laughs as she takes slow steps toward Sanya. “Your daughter?” 

“It only took a couple of thousand yuan for me to get that title didn’t it?” Sanya ignores the man and stares down Yue. 

“Well, if you’ve got the money… Maybe we can be friends.” Keiji crosses his large arms. 

Sanya tilts her headin confusion. She cannot believe people like him actually exist. “Get wrecked, guy. I’m leaving.” 

She walks past him. And past her mother. She cannot look at her. A tense jaw holds back the flood of tears and anger. 

“Let’s take care of this people!” Keiji screams. 

Sanya hears the sound of crates smashing into the ground and shattering porcelain. People begin screaming. Bodies rush by her, but she ignores them. 

“Sanya!” Yue takes her by the arm and forces her to turn around. “You wouldn’t leave your mother, would you?” Her drawl has disappeared. Desperation laces her words. 

The water bender yanks her arm away. And continues to walk. Tears run down her face as her heart drops to her stomach. The warehouse erupts into a battlefield as opposing forces fight over the hidden contents of the crates. 

“Sorry kid, you know too much. I can’t let you leave.” One of Keiji’s hook swords blocks her exit. 

“Nothing could go wrong I said. It’ll be fine I said.” She slams a palm into her forehead. “Of course this would happen.” 

The man charges at her. She steps aside and allows his own weight to take him down. One of his hooks catches the back of her jacket. It rips the leather across her back and slashes her skin. She grits her teeth and endures the pain. But, she does not mind the torn jacket. Her arms move much more freely now. Keiji gets to his feet and swing a meaty arm at Sanya. His attack is blocked. Sanya sends a barrage of quick punches to his solar plexus. It feels like hitting a slab of frozen meat, but several well placed punches to his pressure point nearly brings him down. She takes him by the nose and sends him to his knees.

“I am not in the mood today guy.” Sanya says through her teeth. 

A chop to the side of neck sends the man crumbling to the ground. She wipes her hands clean of the drug on the fallen man’s jacket. 

Sanya summons a wave of snow as two more bodies attack her. One of the men charging toward her flaunts a crescent moon on his face. She will have to fight her way out of this warehouse. 

Her attackers are washed away in a wave of snow. Sanya looks around to see over two dozen bodies locked in battle. Yue is nowhere to be seen. She cannot say she is surprised. Sanya swats away attackers with water tendrils. A hand clasps her shoulders and tosses her into a stack of hay. 

“That was actually kinda fun.” Sanya staggers out of the hay. 

Jin stampedes toward her. The woman lets out a fiendish scream. Sanya dodges the attack. The lumbering woman throws powerful punches, each one is blocked and countered by the water bender. She retaliates with a series of lighting fast strikes. Two men decide to join the fight. 

“Well, this isn’t fair.” Sanya waggles a finger.

The trio attack simultaneously. A metal bar flies past her head. Ice daggers slash the leather sleeves of her jacket. Sanya’s frustration builds as she engages in hand to hand combat with her attackers. She creates gauntlets of ice and releases a barrage of punches. Her attackers crumble to the ground. 

“Not fair for you. I’m fine.” She shrugs and turns around to find five more attackers. She sighs. 

Three of these attackers stand beside a stream of ice and water. Sanya raises anrecreates her serpent of water. She strikes like a cobra. Attacking, then recoiling. Chunks of ice and metal fly at her. A shard of ice slices through her shoulder. She ignores the pain and continues her attack. Bodies crumble to the ground. Sanya stands over them. Fighting continues all around her as she catches her breath. Her jacket has been cut and slashed all over. 

Sanya stomps her foot. With her palms facing the floor, she lowers her horse stance and steadies her breath. The ground rumbles. These people forget this warehouse is built on ice and snow. Pillars of ice break through the concrete. Sanya tenses her muscles and raises her hands. With a mighty cry, towers of ice and snow break through the warehouse floor. They grow until they pierce the ceiling. Sanya punches a nearby wall of ice and sends it hurtling through the warehouse wall, creating an exit path for her. She looks around at the confused faces of the people in the warehouse. Her mother’s face is not amongst them. 

Sanya runs down the path she created. The biting cold air of the north pole hits her skin, but it does not freeze the tears on her face for her anger boils in her veins. She runs. And she runs. And she runs. Her mind is clouded by sorrow and rage. She does not give the warehouse a backward glance. 

 

Sanya stares at the bits of skin under her nails. The remains of her jacket lie before her. The raw flesh on her arms burn. The gashes on her back and shoulder still bleed. She has no idea how long she has been sitting on this beach. She looks up to find the blurry image of a full moon behind the dome of ice she has created. It is warm in her dome, but the northern cold is unforgiving at night. Sanya drops her head and picks the skin from her nails. Drops of blood fall onto the snow below her. A thought of Yue enters her mind. It brings about a heaviness in her chest and tears to her eyes. She grits her teeth and does her best to force the thought out her mind. Her hands ball up into fists as memories of the past week flash in her mind. _Lies. All lies._ She thinks to herself. _After all these years, she still didn’t want me._ Her nails dig into her palm. She hears her mother call out her name in her head. Her head pounds. Her entire body aches as she tenses her muscles to their limit. The calling in her head will not cease and the pounding grows stronger.

“Sanya!” A faint voice calls out. The words are muddied through the pounding. 

The water bender looks up to find a fuzzy figure banging against the walls of her ice dome. 

“Sanya.” The voice calls out again. 

She knows this voice.

The icy walls drop. Asami nearly tumbles into her lap. Sanya eyes the blood on the girl’s knuckles. 

“Are you okay?” Asami takes her face in her hands. 

Sanya stares at wet green eyes and nods. The pain and worry in Asami’s eyes bring more tears to her eyes. How could she be so blind as to unknowingly cause her so much pain? Her eyes wander and survey the surrounding area. There is no wolf to be found amongst the ice and water. “How did you find me?” Her voice is soft. 

A smile appears on Asami’s tear stained face. “I guess, I’m just always looking for you.” 

Sanya drops her head and pulls away from Asami. She wipes her face on her arms, but the tears make her raw skin sting. “I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be.” Asami puts a hand on her shoulder. “Do you want to tell me what happened? Are you okay?” She eyes the girl’s wounds.

Sanya stares at the jacket on the ground. Her jaw tenses as a familiar rage courses through her veins. “She still didn’t want me. After all these years, she still didn’t want me.” She leans forward and takes the ruined jacket. She scoffs. “She lied to me. It was all lies. Just so she could get money to run her little drug ring.” Her grip around the jacket tightens. “I was so stupid. So, so stupid.” Her voice rises. 

“No, Sanya. You couldn’t have known.” 

“After all the things auntie said, I still thought,” Her voice cracks. “That she really wanted to be my mom.” Sanya gets to her feet and walks to the edge of the shore. Frigid water laps at her feet. “Well, I don’t want to be your daughter!” She screams before hurling the jacket into the sea. She looks up at the moon and undoes her hair. Black hair tumbles across her shoulders. The wind carries wisps of silver hair across her face. “Do you hear me!” She screams at he full moon. “I don’t want to be your daughter!” Towers of water rise from the sea as the waves become more violent. “I never wanted to be your daughter!” Her voice cracks and becomes hoarse. A cloud obscures the moon. Sanya lets out a cry and falls to her knees. A wall of water and ice shoot up into the sky. 

Asami scrambles to her water bender. She wraps her arms around her. Sanya’s shoulders shudder with each sob. Sanya covers her face with her hands. The wall of water and ice crash back to the surface. 

“Sanya.” A gentle female voice calls out to her. 

She ignores it. Asami’s embrace vanishes, but her hand clutches her shirt. 

“Sanya.” This time, two harmonious voices call out. 

 The water bender looks up. 

Two women hover the water. Their bodies are nearly transparent. One woman she recognizes. Her flowing white hair and robes are an image she has seen her whole life. The Moon Spirit smiles at her. The woman beside her she does not recognize. Her jet black hair flows like the calm sea. Her robes are black. Shimmering eyes are white as snow. The water bender’s eyes dart from one woman to the other.

“Forgive me, my child. We have never met.” The woman in black robes speaks. Her voice deep and hushed, like the sound of waves against the shore. “I am the Ocean Spirit, La.” 

“I believe you already know who I am?” The Moon Spirit speaks. 

Sanya nods. She looks beside her to find Asami frozen with awe. 

“Umm. Hello?” Asami manages to say. 

Both spirits nod. “A good evening to you, Miss Sato.” 

“You know who I am?” Asami squeaks. 

“Of course.” The spirits say in unison. 

“You have a deep love for our daughter.” The Moon Spirit smiles at her. 

Sanya’s face contorts in confusion. “What?” 

“We,” The Ocean Spirit begins. “Created you.”

“Your hair reflects this, my dear.” 

Sanya rubs her eyes hard against the heel of her palm. “Created me?”

“You are angry with us?” The spirits say in unison. 

“No.” Sanya shakes her head. “Yes.” She groans as her palms hit the snow. “I don’t know!” Her fingers curl around fistfuls of snow as her wounds continue to bleed. “You made me. Like some elementary school art project? What am I?”

“You are Sanya.” The Moon Spirit answers. 

“Why? Why put me here? Why have her be my mother?”

“We did not know she would react as such. We could not intervene once you were born.” The Ocean Spirit explains. “We watched over you, watched you grow. But we could not intervene.” 

“What’s my purpose here then? I can’t be like you.” She points at The Moon Spirit. “I could never be like you. I’m not you. So why make me? What’s my purpose here?” 

“To live.” They say in unison. 

“All we wish,” The Moon Spirit begins. 

“Is for you to live.” The Ocean Spirit finishes. 

The Moon Spirit leans forward. “We are sorry for your pain.” A delicate finger touches Sanya’s arms before she wraps the girl in a hug. 

Sanya cannot feel her, but she feels the welcome relief of painlessness. Her wounds have healed. The Moon Spirit releases the girl.  

“We beg patience. Even spirits cannot predict the future.” The Ocean Spirit punctuates her sentence with a smile. 

Sanya falls back onto her bottom and rubs her eyes. Her wounds are healed, but she skin begins to turn blue from the biting cold. 

Asami removes her coat and drapes it around Sanya’s shoulders. 

“Are you angry with us?” The spirits ask. 

Sanya looks up at The Moon Spirit and shakes her head. “Just the woman with your namesake.” 

The spirits look at each other and laugh. 

“I’m sorry I yelled at you.” Sanya pulls Asami’s coat closer to her body.

The spirits continue to laugh. 

“It is all right, my dear.” The Ocean Spirit puts a cool hand on Sanya’s head. 

“Can I ask you something?” 

The spirits nod. 

“That festival thing that I have to go to every year… Would you be mad if I didn’t go next year or will you send like a plague into my room?”

The spirits throw their heads back in laughter. 

“I haven’t laughed this much since I knew your grandfather.” The Moon Spirit says. 

“I was being serious.” Sanya whispers to Asami.

“My dear, we spirits cannot send plagues. Even if we could we would not punish you, our child, so severely.” The Ocean Spirit smiles at her. 

“You do not have to do anything you do not wish to do.” The Moon Spirit adds. 

“Thank you.” Sanya exhales.

“We leave you in very capable hands, Sanya.” The Moon Spirit nods at Asami. 

A ray of moonlight shines upon the group. The Moon Spirit dissolves in the ray. The Ocean Spirit melts into the sea. 

The girls stare at the space before them once inhabited by the spirits. Sanya slumps in Asami’s jacket. Her body relaxes and her tired eyes sting. Asami rub her back and brushes a stray wisp of hair from her face. 

Sanya takes her hands. “I,” Her voice wavers at the sight of Asami’s bruised and bloodied knuckles. “I couldn’t heal you. I can do it now.” She extends her hand. A dagger of ice forms in her palm. 

Asami pulls her hands away and shakes her head. “No, you’ve bled enough for one day. There are plenty of healers here who can take care of this.” 

Sanya does not argue. She drops her ice dagger. 

“Are you okay?”

She lets out a weak laugh and runs her hands through her hair. “It’s never just normal and boring with me is it?” 

“I’m used to it.” Asami jokes. 

“I think I need a long nap and a hot bath.” 

“And a big plate of food.”

“You know me too well.” 

Asami sits up straighter. “You know, the spirits approve of me, so I have to be _that_ good.” She laughs hoping to put a genuine smile on Sanya’s face. 

She is rewarded with a weak grin from her water bender. She rests her head on Sanya’s shoulder. Asami’s warmth heals the gash in Sanya’s heart. 

A howl breaks the girls apart. Sanya turns around to find Jet running toward her. The wolf tackles her to the ground and licks her face. 

“I’m all right, Jet. Stop.” She ruffles his fur. 

The wolf backs away and she sits up. 

Asami clears her throat. Sanya looks up to find her auntie walking toward her. Her smile disappears. The water bender gets to her feet. She rubs her bare arms and searches the ground for what she should say. Asami drapes her coat around Sanya’s shoulders before shooing away Jet. 

“Auntie I,” 

Lin throws her arms around Sanya and squeezes. She returns the embrace. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t listen.” She mutters. 

Lin releases her and shakes her head before patting Sanya’s cheek. “You never do.” She jokes. 

The water bender smiles at her auntie. 

Lin’s eyes are red and tired, but she flashes her crooked grin. She ruffles her nieces hair. “Let’s go. It’s cold out here.” She says.

Sanya nods. Jet appears at her feet and licks her legs. She pats his head and smiles. Upon looking up she finds a sight that nearly sends her back into her fit of rage and sorrow. A female police officer holds onto to Yue’s arm and guides her forward. Her hands are restrained behind her back, but she still tries to smile. 

Lin begins to walk forward, but Sanya stops her. She does not say a word, but she nods. She knows her auntie will understand. Lin returns the nod. 

Sanya shrugs off Asami’s coat and returns it to the girl. She walks forward and meets Yue halfway. The officer shoves Yue forward. 

“What?” Sanya’s voice is as cold as the ice below her. 

“Hey, is that anyway to greet to greet your mother?” 

The water bender tenses at the last word out of the woman’s mouth. 

“I just need you to talk to these people is all. Tell them I had nothing to do with what happened at the warehouse.” 

Sanya scoffs. “Are you serious?” 

“Come on, Sanya. Help out your old ma?” 

“I have nothing to say to you or the police.” She turns to leave. 

The officer grabs Yue’s arm. 

“Wait! Just wait!” The woman Screams. “Sanya!” 

The water bender turns to her. 

“Can I have some bail money then?”

Sanya rolls her eyes and turns away again. 

“Sanya! Don’t turn your back on family!” 

The water bender looks up to see Lin with a hand on Asami’s shoulder. Her girlfriend looks ready to fight with a furrowed brow and a clenched fist. Jet snarls at the woman from behind Asami’s legs. Sanya smiles. She has never turned her back on her family. 

“You pick them over me?” Yue is frantic. “Blood is thicker than water, Sanya!”

Her lips twitch into a grin. “Yeah, it is.” She continues to walk away. “The blood they shed for me is thicker than the water of your womb.” 

 

 

 


	17. Mothers and Daughters: Asami

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is late. But I didn't think I'd be alive to finish it. Anyway, Asami deals with the death of her mother the trechery of her father. She meets new family members and finally gains closure.

Mountains grow and eventually crumble back down to the earth from whence they came. Though, it seems the mountain of work on her desk only ever grows and never shrinks. She tosses a folder onto the mess of papers on her desk. The other employees have gone home, yet here she remains. Asami leans on her desk and attempts to rub the fatigue from her eyes. At this rate, she wonders if she can muster the energy to make it home. 

Home. She smiles at the thought of it. She has a home now. A real home. Yet, she has locked herself in her dark, empty office. The artificial light begins to weigh down on her eyes, but she cannot bear to part the curtains of her office. It seems every corner of this city reminders her of her father’s destruction. His face comes to mind, the face of a man she no longer knows. Why am I still hiding from him? She wonders. 

A knock at her door makes her jump. 

“Who is it?” She calls out. 

“Cake delivery.” The deepness in the voice is clearly feigned. 

Despite this, Asami recognizes the voice instantly. She rises from her seat and walks to the door. “Come in.” She crosses her arms across her chest. 

Sanya pokes her head in through the doorway. “Not actually cake, sorry.” 

Her smiles makes Asami forget her fatigue. She takes Sanya by the collar. “No. Much sweeter than cake.” She pulls her into the room and greets her with a kiss. A kiss that lasts much too long to be a simple greeting. 

“I didn’t come empty handed.” Sanya holds up a small pink box. “Chocolate covered strawberries from that place you like.” 

Asami raises an eyebrow. “Tian’s? The same Tian’s that’s across the city?”

Sanya shrugs. “I was in the neighborhood. Then I got lost and ended up here.” She flashes the same smile that won Asami’s heart. “What a coincidence right?” 

She slowly nods. 

“How’s work?” The water bender asks. 

“Well…” Asami steps aside to reveal the mountain of work on her desk. 

“Ouch.” Sanya makes her way to Asami’s desk. She taps the top of a tower of papers. “No wonder you’ve been coming home so late.” 

The smile on Asami’s face drops into a frown. Her heart becomes heavy with guilt. “I’m sorry.” She puts a hand on Sanya’s back. 

The water bender tilts her head in confusion. “For what?” 

“Never being home.”

“No need to be. You have a lot to do. I understand. It’s just…” She sets the box of sweets atop a a small stack of folders. “I think I know you well enough to know that when you bury yourself in work or building stuff it’s because something’s bothering you. Maybe, something you’d rather not think about?” Sanya brushes a strand of hair from Asami’s face. “I’m here if you wanna talk to me okay?” 

Asami rests her arms on Sanya’s shoulders. “You are so good to me.” She cannot deny that she might be right. 

Despite the low light, she can see a blush in Sanya’s cheeks. She shakes her head no. “I’m just being normal, I think.”

She is. She is just being her normal self. Asami grins before pulling her in for another kiss. Sanya’s hands find their way to her hips, eager to travel along a trail they know quite well. Heat courses through Asami’s veins, flushing out whatever fatigue she felt earlier. Exhaustion is replaced by a familiar hunger. She presses her body against Sanya’s, craving to be closer to her lover. The sensation of her hands on her bare skin causes her to gasp and pull away from the kiss. Has it is been so long since she’s felt her touch?

The thought vanishes as lips brush against her neck. Asami must steady herself on the desk behind her. Sanya’s hands go higher as her lips go lower. Her mind becomes muddled, as though she were intoxicated. Sanya is her favorite drug. Her body relaxes. Her breathing becomes shallow. Her clothes feel much too tight and much too warm. She throws her head back when Sanya plants a kiss just below her chin. 

Asami opens her mouth to speak. But the phone rings. 

“Aren’t you,” Sanya kisses her neck. “Gonna get that?” She kisses her cheek. 

Asami pushes herself up on her desk and wraps her legs around Sanya’s waist. She pulls her into another deep kiss. She hears Sanya gasp, as though she has taken the very breath from her lungs. 

“Let it ring.” She breathes into Sanya’s mouth. 

The phone continues to scream for attention. 

Asami ignores it. She does not want to work tonight. She does not want to think. She does not want to worry. She only wants Sanya. 

Her water bender’s hands find their way to Asami’s bare thighs. Her cool touch elicits a groan from Asami, a wordless plea for more. 

The phone finally stops its wailing. Asami bites back a smirk as Sanya leaves a trail of kisses down her neck. 

Asami wants to tell her she loves her. She wants to say her name. She wants to say something, but her words are caught in her throat as Sanya’s hand moves up her thigh and her lips move down her chest. 

And the phone rings again. 

Asami voices her annoyance as Sanya’s hands stop moving forward and retreat. It feels as though the world wishes to keep her from finding peace. 

“I’m sorry.” Asami sighs as she takes Sanya’s face in her hands and kisses her. 

“Don’t be.” Sanya catches her breath. “They should be.” She buries her face in the nape of Asami’s neck. 

She snickers as she feels Sanya’s lips on her skin again. Asami reaches for her phone and takes a deeps breath before answering. “Asami Sato speaking.” She prays to the spirits the person on the other line does not detect the residual lust in her voice. 

“Tell Sanya to get off you, I have news.” A familiar steely voice says. 

“Hi Lin. I’ll tell her.” 

Sanya’s hands hit the desk as she takes a step back. “How’d she know I was here?” 

“There’s only one thing on this planet strong enough to keep you from work. She also happens to be the one thing on this planet you love more than your work.”

Asami bites back a grin. Her free hand brushes against Sanya’s cheek. 

Lustrous blue eyes seem to brighten her room. 

Sanya kisses her palm. 

“She just knows, sweetheart. Auntie knows everything remember.” The girls share a laugh. 

“I’d retort, but I actually do.” Lin says. “Anyway, listen. I did some digging and I have news for you. You’d better come down to the station.”

“Is something wrong?” Asami’s grin fades. 

“No. I don’t know. It depends on how you see it. I have more information on the man that killed your mother.” 

Asami’s mouth is left agape. Her mind is flooded by emotions she cannot catch. 

“I…” She cannot find the words. 

“Sami?” Sanya stands up straight. Concern overcomes Sanya’s face. Her jaw tightens and her brow furrows.

Asami takes several deep breaths. This was the last thing she expected to hear tonight. A million unfinished thoughts buzz in her head. What would she do? What could she do? Her thoughts become so overpowering, she does not realize that Sanya has taken the phone from her hands. 

She watches Sanya speak into the receiver and nod, but she cannot hear her words. 

Sanya hangs up the phone then takes Asami’s face in her hands, forcing her to look directly in her eyes. “Asami.”

Her voice calls her out of her thoughts. She takes several deep breaths then returns Sanya’s determined gaze. 

“Are you okay to drive?”

She nods yes. 

“Whatever happens, you’re not going through this alone, okay?”

She nods again. I’m not alone anymore, Asami thinks. 

 

The steady clip-clop of their shoes echoes through the nearly empty halls at Republic City’s police station. A stray officer makes her way into one of the many doors along the walls. She pauses in the doorway to nod at the girls. Their faces seen often in this building. 

Asami focuses on the image of Lin’s office. Countless scenarios run through her mind. Her hands ball up into fists. Why did she reopen this old wound? Perhaps it was better left alone. 

“Umm.” Sanya says behind her. 

She turns to find Sanya reaching out to touch her shoulder. Sanya drops her hand. 

“Something wrong?” 

Sanya’s eyes search the floor for words she cannot find. “It’s just,” She tugs at her sweater sleeve. 

Asami takes a deep breath before putting her hands on the water bender’s biceps and walking her over to the wall. “Sanya.”

Sanya exhales. “I can’t forget the faces of the people who did those things to me, who killed my grandparents. I still see their faces in my nightmares. A bit fuzzy, but maybe it’s better that way. I don’t think I’d handle it very well if I saw them. Or even just a picture of them.” She slumps into the wall. “I’m sorry. I’m just worried. If that man’s face will make you feel…” She looks up. “Bad.” 

She has known unimaginable pain. She has lived too much life for someone so young. To see so much anguish in her eyes over the possibility that Asami might feel a pain she has known makes her heart ache.

She takes Sanya’s face in her hands. “I never saw his face.” 

The water bender stares at her. Asami can see that she wishes to ask why this is so. 

“The night it happened, my father went out. He had to take care of something at work he said. He and mom were fighting that day so I hid in my room. I don’t like to hear them fight.” She swallows a lump in her throat. The memory nearly overwhelms her. 

“You don’t have to tell me if it hurts.” Sanya says as she takes Asami’s hands in her own. 

Asami shakes her head. “I was about to fall asleep with I heard a noise downstairs. Next thing I knew my mother burst into my room and took me. She kept saying, ‘Sami it’s gonna be okay. Be strong’ while she rushed me down the hall.” A tear falls from her eye. She can still hear her mother’s voice.

Sanya is quick to wipe away the fallen tear. 

“It was just the two of us and Yuna, my nanny. And… Them. She shoved me in a coat closet and told me to be very quiet. That we were playing a really important game of hide and seek.” Her voice cracks. She takes a deep breath. the last images of her mother flood her mind. “I opened the door just a bit. Just enough to peek outside. “My mother, in her nightgown, fighting off three fire benders.” Her lips curl into the smallest smile. “I’d never seen my mother fight before. I used to watch her do fan dances, but to fight like that…” Asami shakes her head and dries her eyes.

“Fan dances?” Sanya nods. “Well I’m definitely a fan of hers.” She shakes her head. “Sorry I’m just trying to… I don’t know what I’m trying to do.”

She smiles and squeezes Sanya’s hands. 

“But two more men came. She couldn’t hold off all of them. The man who killed her… He wore a white jacket and stood right in front of the closet. Fire daggers came out of his hands and I remember his laugh.” Her voice wavers as her jaw clenches. “I closed my eyes and hugged my knees. I remember all the screaming. I wanted to scream but I couldn’t.” She stares at a point just beyond Sanya. “I covered my ears and cried so hard I thought I would throw up. Next thing I remember, Yuna was scooping me up into her arms and rubbing my back. I opened my eyes for just a second.” Tears fall like rain in a storm. She is unaware of how tightly she holds Sanya’s hands. “Why did I open my eyes. I saw her there. On the floor. Her nightgown burnt. She didn’t even look,” She chokes on her words. 

Sanya pulls her into a hug. 

Asami buries her faces in her girlfriend’s shoulder. She inhales. Lavender, vanilla, and lilies. Sanya’s scent. Her body relaxes. She feels the water bender’s arms tighten around her. She wishes they could stay like this forever, in each other’s arms where nothing else exists. 

Someone clears their throat behind them. 

The girls turn to find Lin poking her head out of her doorway. “Everything alright?”

Sanya is silent. 

Asami dries her eyes. Cursing her decision to put on make up that morning. “Yeah, sorry.” 

A short whistle comes from Lin’s lips. 

A massive white wolf pushes himself past Lin’s leg and bounds down the hall. Jet skids to a stop at Asami’s feet. He paws at her boots and rubs his head against her leg. 

“Hey you.” Asami crouches and runs her hands through soft white fur. “Have a tough day at work?” She tugs at the service vest he wears.

A whine comes from the wolf before he gives her a soft head butt. 

Asami exhales the tension building in her body and inhales the unique sense of comfort Jet brings. She gets to her feet and makes her way towards Lin. 

“Good boy.” She hears Sanya say behind her. 

Lin takes her seat behind her desk. A single folder sits atop her clean desk. Asami remembers the mess she left on her own desk. 

Sanya stands near the closed door. Jet lies down on the couch on the adjacent wall. 

Asami stares at the folder. She places her palms on the desk’s smooth wooden surface. All she had to do was flip open a bit of thick of paper. Her muscles stiffened. She knows the next few minutes will change her life. 

Lin’s chair creaks as she leans forward and takes the folder. “Do you want to know his name?”

She takes a deep breath and steps back. She collides into Sanya standing behind her. She was so lost in thought that she did not notice her standing there. 

“Tell me everything.”

Lin raises an eyebrow. 

“Everything.” 

The woman puts on her glasses. “Yang, Tae-Sung. He was twenty-nine when…” Lin clears her throat. “He was a member of the Red Suns. A gang based out of the northern Earth Kingdom. Was arrested twice before. Once for the possession of blue sand and the other for aggravated assault.” Lin pauses. She looks up. 

Cool green eyes send Asami silent messages. None of which she can decipher. Her mind is buzzing. She keeps Lin’s gaze and nods. 

“As you know, he was not arrested after the incident involving your mother. He fled Republic City shortly afterward. It seems no one really knows how he was able to get away so quickly.”

“What? So that’s it? He’s out there somewhere? I can find him.” Sanya’s words burst from her mouth. 

Asami puts a gentle hand on her stomach. 

“Sorry.” Sanya’s voice is lower now. She takes a step back. 

“I had to do some digging, but I did find something. Six years ago there was a murder and his name popped up.”

Asami’s nails dig into her palm. Anger rises from her chest, causing her to clench her jaw. 

“Except,” Lin exhales. “He was the one who was murdered.” 

“Wait what?” Sanya says behind her. 

Anger turns into confusion. A slight twinge of disappointment makes itself known. “Who…” Asami begins to ask. 

Lin drops the folder onto her desk and points to a newspaper clipping stapled to a sheet of records. A Kyoshi warrior stands proudly in her uniform and full make-up. Asami thinks she might know the face behind all that make-up. She shakes the thought out of her head. She scans the column below the photo. “I don’t know who that,” A single name stands out amongst hundreds of letters. A name that makes her gasp. 

Hanshi Isami Sato.

“My aunt?” 

“So it seems.” 

Asami shakes her head. Her mind struggles to digest the information. “What? How? Why?”

Lin leans back in her chair. She throws her glasses onto the pile of papers and rubs the bridge of her nose before crossing her arms. “From what I found out, a band of Kyoshi warriors were investigating gang related activity in the area. They met, fought, and he was killed in the process. The details are sketchy. Seems a bit off to me though, like there’s more to it. But I don’t know.” Lin points to the photo of Asami’s aunt. “She can tell you the whole story though.”

“I don’t understand how I’m supposed to,” 

Lin takes a notecard from her desk and scribbles words and numbers Asami cannot quite make out yet. “I gave her a call. To confirm she was still alive. Here’s her phone number and address. I suggest paying her a visit. From what you’ve told me, it seems you two have never met.” She slides the notecard across her desk. 

Asami does her best to process the onslaught of information. Her eyes dart from the notecard to Lin. 

Lin shakes her head. “I didn’t tell her anything about you or doofus over here.” She points to her niece. 

“Hey!” Sanya says with more playfulness than annoyance in her voice. 

Asami takes the notecard and stares at the address and phone number. She walks over the couch and takes a seat, nearly sitting on Jet’s tail. She wonders what she might find at this address. A million different scenarios run through her mind. She finds herself breathing very deeply, her body’s attempt at trying to calm her growing nerves. She feels a slight pressure on her thigh. She looks down to find a crouching Sanya offering comfort. 

“I think I wanna go.” Asami says more to herself than to the others. 

“Alright great. I’ll watch the pup while you two are gone.” 

Jet yelps. 

“Auntie!” Sanya turns too quickly and ends up on her bottom. “I have work?”

“And I’m your boss. You can go.” Lin waves away her concerns. 

“But don’t assume I’m going! Maybe she doesn’t want me to go.” She turns to look up at Asami. 

“Can you?” She asks Sanya. “Come with me? I just…” Her voice trails off. Why couldn’t she do this alone?

Sanya holds up a hand to silence her. “Of course. You don’t have to explain. I’ll go with you.” 

Asami inhales and musters up all her might. “Okay.” She exhales. “We’re gonna meet my family.” 

 

———————-

The northwestern countryside of the Earth Kingdom rolls past the car window like a moving picture. Asami watches the setting sun nestle between low grassy hills. Her left hand picks at the loose thread at the hem of her skirt. In a few minutes she would be meeting a family she never knew she had. Her heart pounds in her head. Her nerves get the better of her as she wonders what her aunt is like. Her fingers begin pulling the loose threads just a bit harder. She wonders if she has any cousins. Lin did not mention her aunt having any children. Asami swims in a sea of what if’s and could be’s. 

A gentle hand takes hold of her arm. Asami closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Comforting finger slide down her wrist and take hold of her hand. 

“I bet your mom was an amazing warrior. She probably could’ve sliced a spider fly in half just by waving at it.” Sanya jokes. 

A smiles creeps onto Asami’s lips. “How is that even possible?” 

“Through the sheer force of intense concentration and a dash of pure awesomeness. That’s how.” She punctuates her sentence with a toothy grin. 

Asami cannot help but laugh. She wonders how Sanya is always able to make her anxieties melt away. “Is that how auntie is able to punch volcanoes.” 

“It just knows its gonna lose if it tries to fight back.” Sanya shakes her head as if expressing pity for this hypothetical volcano. “One time auntie was doing push-ups and she caused an earthquake. Turns out she wasn’t pushing herself up, she was pushing the earth down.” 

Asami covers her face with her free hand as she laughs at Sanya’s comment. 

A snicker comes from the front seat as the driver cannot contain his laughter. 

“True story.” Sanya manages to keep a straight face. “Your mom could probably do the same.” She grins. 

Asami brings her girlfriend’s hand up to her lips. A red lip print marks the back of Sanya’s hand.

“Thank you.” Asami exhales. She knows she would be a nervous wreck without Sanya’s special brand of comfort. 

“She’ll love you.” Sanya squeezes her hand. “You’re very easy to love.” 

“You two are so sweet.” The driver says he looks into the rearview mirror. 

The couple raise an eyebrow. 

The driver clears his throat. “We’re, uhh,” He points to a building on their right. “Here.” 

The car slows to a stop. A massive property sits before them. A lawn filled with fruit bearing trees, what look to be medicinal herbs, and a colorful variety of flowers sits before the atrium. The building itself looks more like a massive temple than a school. Its red brick is accented with gold and green. 

“Wow.” Sanya mutters under her breath. “That’s a bit intimidating.” She looks to Asami with a weak smile. “But I’m sure your aunt isn’t!”

Mighty double doors swing open. A tall woman walks forward wearing muted emerald robes. Her steps are sure and surprisingly light for a woman of her size. The wind ruffles her salt and pepper cropped hair. Her eyes are soft grey-green color, yet her gaze is steely enough to rival Lin’s. 

“That’s her, isn’t it?” Sanya picks up their bags.

“How can you tell?” Asami takes the two smallest pieces of luggage. 

The water bender shrugs. “I can just tell. She kind of looks like you.” She takes the luggage in Asami’s hands so she now carries the full load of their belongings. “Go.” She gives Asami a small nudge forward with her elbow. 

A young woman wearing a grey tunic and matching grey pants wears tabi boots up to her knees. She shares the woman’s steely gaze. Her dark brown hair is tied into a tight bun that sits atop her head. Asami wonders who she is, but the longer she looks at her the more she thinks she sees her mother.

She takes a deep breath before taking her final steps to meet the grand woman at the edge of the atrium. 

“You must be Asami.” The woman’s voice is deep, but not at all intimidating. “You remind me so much of my sister.” She bows her head slightly.

Asami’s arms are pinned to her side as she returns the gesture with a much deeper bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She blurts out as she stands straight up. 

The woman’s features remind her of her mother. They have the same mouth and nose. A lump forms in Asami’s throat as memories of her mother resurface. “She mentioned that I looked like you actually.” 

A small laugh escapes Isami. Asami thinks she might have seen a bit of sadness in her eyes before the woman turns to her left. 

“This is my eldest daughter, Leilani. You two are about the same age.” 

The young woman steps forward and bows. “Nice to meet you.” Her words are cold and stiff. 

Asami forces herself to smile as she returns the gesture. 

“And my youngest, Ann.” 

A small girl of about six years old hides behind her mother’s robes. Her bright blue eyes are hidden in her mother’s shadow. She wears her hair in pigtails and sports the same grey robes as her sister. She waves at Asami before ducking back into her hiding spot. 

Asami’s smile become genuine as she waves back. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all.” She quickly turns her head to find Sanya standing several feet behind her beside their luggage. She waves her forward. 

“This is my girlfriend, Sanya.”

Sanya steps forward and bows. “It’s an honor to meet you ma’am.” 

“I’ve read a bit about you, Sanya.” 

The water bender’s eyes widen. “Oh?”

“Granddaughter of one of our own.” She extends her hand and offers a smile. “A bit inept, but brave nonetheless.”

She laughs and takes the woman’s forearm in a traditional water tribe greeting. They release their grip as Sanya offers her hand to Leilani. 

The young woman looks at her hand before her eyes look up at Sanya. She bows. “I’ll take care of the their bags mother.” She says before walking past the couple. 

“Thanks.” Sanya mutters before she steps back and crouches. “It’s nice to meet you too.” She says to the little girl clutching her mother’s robes. 

“My apologies for my daughters’ manners.” Her voice booms as Leliani walks past them with their luggage. She puts a hand on her youngest’s head. “Ann is a bit shy due to a bit of scarring.” 

Sanya nods before removing her arms sleeves.

Asami’s mouth hangs open. 

“I have scars too.” She holds her arms out. “They’re not bad. Kinda like tigerdillo stripes.” She smiles. 

Ann steps out of her mother’s shadow. A deep scar dominates the right side of her face. She takes a tentative step forward. Asami and her aunt watch the interaction in silence. Her small hand reaches out. Shy fingers trace Sanya’s scars. Ann’s small hand struggles to grab Sanya’s forearm in an attempt to imitate the greeting the water bender exchanged with her mother. 

“Do you wanna play with me?” Ann squeaks. 

Sanya looks up at Isami. The woman nods. She turns to Asami who also nods in approval. 

“Let’s go play.” 

The girl’s face lights up. She drags Sanya away by the finger. 

Isami turns around and beckons for her neice to follow. 

She takes a deep breath and follows the woman into the building. Marble floors and dark cherrywood dominate the interior. Their footsteps bounce off the high ceiling. 

“You have many questions I assume?” Isami watches her niece marvel at the interior of her home. 

“I, umm, yeah.” Asami is distracted by a gang of preteen girls giggling as they walk down the hall. 

They pause upon seeing her aunt. “Hanshi.” They bow. 

Isami gives them a smile as they turn and job in the opposite direction. “You were only about Ann’s age last I saw you.” She makes a turn into a long corridor. 

“Excuse me?” She tilts her head in confusion. She scours the archives of her memory, but cannot find the one she seeks. 

Isami laughs. “I wouldn’t expect you remember. I was in full make-up after all. I stopped coming to see you after she died. I did send some of my people to make sure you knew how to fight.” She turns and smiles. “I’ve heard that training has come in handy.” 

Asami nods. Fuzzy memories of her childhood come to mind. “I read her diary.” 

Her aunt stops before a door. Her hand hovers over the knob. 

“My mother mentioned that you and my father didn’t exactly see eye to eye?”   
Isami laughs. “You got that from her. Finding ways to say things so they don’t sound as bad as they are. I hated him. He hated me.” She opens the door and removes her shoes before entering. 

Asami does the same as she follows Isami to a low table in the center of the room.

Isami takes her seat on a large pink pillow on the floor. Asami sits opposite of her. The walls of this room are decorated with various Kyoshi warrior paraphernalia. Swords, fans, headgear, and photos line the walls. She marvels at everything she sees. Her eyes drop down to the table, already set with refreshments. 

“Please help yourself.” Isami pours out two cups of tea. 

“Thank you.” Asami takes her cup of tea. 

Isami points to a sword sitting atop the mantle on her left. “That belonged to your mother. I have no doubt she would have become a much better warrior than me. Had she not married of course.”

“Did she study here?” Asami stares at her mother’s sword. She tries to imagine her mother wielding this weapon, but the imagine of her holding a gardening trowel comes up instead. 

“We all did. She never managed to take the trials though. Decided to marry and start a family instead.” Isami sips her tea. 

“Were you angry with her because of that?” 

The woman eyes Asami, as though studying her features. 

“I was. I had no idea who that man was. I had a bad feeling about him. But that’s what she wanted. Big sisters are always protective of their little sisters. Even if they are only two years apart.” 

She stares at her tea and smiles. “What was she like? Before she got married?”

Isami sighs. “She was,” A sad smile creeps along her lips. “A bit of a firecracker that one.” 

Asami raises her brow in curiosity. She had always known her mother to be calm and reserved. 

“Always wanting to do something. Getting in trouble. Getting me in trouble as well.” Her aunt lets out a small laugh. “She would dive head first into anything. No thinking, just doing.”

She cannot contain her grin. “Sounds like Sanya.” 

“Oh?” Isami inquires. 

Asami nods. “Were you also like that?” 

“Oh spirits no!” Her aunt laughs. “I always have to think everything through. Calculate every possible outcome. Then act on that.” 

She grins as her body relaxes. “Sounds like me.” Her nerves disappear completely as she realizes what her mother meant when she wrote that Asami reminded her of her sister. She traces the rim of her cup with her finger as she works up the courage to ask her next question. “Why…” She looks up at her aunt. “Why didn’t you ever come visit after mom died?”

Isami sets her cup on the table. “I thought it would be safer if I stayed out of your life. I know your father has a temper. And we didn’t get along at all. I sent people time again to keep an eye on you. Turns out you can hold your own. A true Sato girl.” 

She smiles. “To be honest, I wasn’t looking for you. I was looking for the man who killed mom.”

The woman takes a deep breath and nods. “I had a feeling you would look for him once you came of age.” She watches Asami for a moment before smiling. “Looks like I beat you to it.”

“May I ask what happened?”

“What is there to tell? I hunted down the man who killed my sister. And I killed him.” She takes a sip of her tea.

A shiver runs up Asami’s spine. The woman’s bluntness was surprising and bit terrifying. She takes a sip of lukewarm tea. She can see her aunt watching her. She thinks the woman might have something to say, but decides not to speak. 

“You must think I feel no remorse over taking a life?”

Asami furiously shakes her head. “No!” She nearly jumps out of her seat. “I mean. I don’t know. I almost killed someone once but,” She dares not say this person was her father. “But Sanya stopped me.” 

“I have dedicated my life to being a Kyoshi warrior. I’ve become hardened, like the very stone I bend. If I must a take a life for justice… So be it.” Her voice commands the words she speaks. “I assume since you were looking for him, you would have done the same.” 

Asami opens her mouth to speak. What would she have done, she wonders. Could she take the life of this man? Was that what she wanted? “I don’t know what I would’ve done.” She confesses. 

Silence hangs heavy in the space between them. Asami’s eyes scan the walls and refuse to meet her aunt’s intense gaze. She feels the woman is studying her. She clears her throat and takes a sip of tea. 

“Is it my turn to ask a question?” 

Asami looks at her aunt, still and unmoving. She nods yes. 

“I hear you’ve taken over the business. And that you are quite clever when it comes to building things.”

“I have taken over. And I guess so. It’s fun for me.” 

Her aunt nods. “We are a wealthy family. A lot of our wealth went into that company. I’m glad to hear it’s back in safe hands.” 

Asami allows the woman’s words to echo in her mind. Her voice, her very pattern of speech sounds nothing like her mother. And yet, each time she looks at her face she sees aspects of her. 

“And the girl? The water bender?” 

She could never keep a smile off her face when she thinks of her water bender. She only hopes her aunt cannot see the slight blush in her cheeks. “Sanya.”

“Yes.” Isami rests her hands on her lap. “Forgive me for being protective of my family, but what exactly is the extent of your relationship?” 

“She’s my girlfriend. I thought I mentioned that?”

“You did. You brought her here to meet us, to meet your family. I assume it’s serious.”

Asami nods. “We live together.” 

The woman is silent. 

“She was the granddaughter of a Kyoshi warrior, a Meijin in fact.”

“And you are the daughter of a homicidal gangster. Children are not their parents, or grandparents for that matter.”

Asami furrows her brow. The woman’s words piqued her interest. “Gangster?”

The woman tilts her head. “Did you not know?” 

She shakes her head no and swallows her words. She dreads the idea of having to visit her father in prison. She saw traces of him on every street corner of Republic City and now he follows her to the northwestern most corner of this continent. Her mind floods with questions. Her grip on her cup is so tight she thinks the delicate porcelain might shatter. 

“That man does like to keep secrets, doesn’t he? Did he tell you where your mother rests now?”

Asami nearly drops her cup. “What?”

Her aunt sighs. “Come with me.” She gets up and makes for the door. 

She scrambles to her feet, rushing to get her shoes on. 

“Keep up.” Isami glides through the halls. 

Asami walks behind her aunt. Their silence is broken by the occasional Kyoshi warrior in training stopping to greet them. They exit the back of the building into a massive yard. Dozens of girls and young women are dived into several groups as they train in hand to hand combat as well as with weapons. Several individuals have strayed from their herds to train on their own. They all seem much too focused on their training to stop and greet the highest of their ranks. 

They walk beyond the training area. Asami spots a familiar flash of white hair zipping in and out the trees. Sanya carries Ann on her back as she clings to the water bender’s neck. The girl’s laughter can be heard from here. 

“Yip yip!” Ann screams through her giggles. 

Sanya does her best to imitate the growl of a sky bison before taking lengthy strides with her long legs. 

She grins at the sight.

“Hi mommy!” Ann waves at them as Sanya skids to a stop. 

The water bender clears her throat and bows at Isami. She catches Asami’s gaze and greets her with a grin. 

The women wave as they continue their walk. 

“Does your husband live here too?” Asami asks. 

“I’m not married.” Isami answers with nonchalance. 

“Oh. I’m sorry for assuming.” 

“An understandable assumption. The world tells you a woman cannot possibly have a family without a man. I thought you would have been smart enough to toss that idea away.” 

Asami opens her mouth to speak. But for the life of her she cannot think of a thing to say. 

“Leilani is your blood, have no doubt about that. I made a mistake when I was younger. But from that mistake I was blessed with a courageous daughter.” The corners of her mouth curl up into a tiny smirk. “Sometimes I swear I see my sister in her eyes.” 

“I thought the same when I first saw her.” She says more to herself than to her aunt. 

“I found Ann when she was an infant. Abandoned in the wreckage of a home. I raised her as my own.” 

Asami stares at her feet. Her heart goes out to the young girl. Not too long ago she felt the same. Like a helpless child being rescued from the wreckage of her life by a steely eyed earth bender. She feels a sudden need to become close to these girls, to make them her family. 

They walk through a small thicket of trees before emerging into a clearing. Small herds of koala sheep graze along the outskirts of the clearing. Four rectangular obsidian pillars sit below the shade of a tree. 

Isami stops. “Last one on your right. Beside her is our eldest sister, our mother, and grandmother.”

Asami’s throat is dry. Her mind becomes blank. Her feet move forward. Wet eyes dart from one stone grave to another. Their surname is written in large bold letters, SATO. In smaller print she reads the names; Amai, Nita, Makoto, Ora. Three generations of women in her family rest here. 

Tears streak down her cheeks. She falls to her knees at her mother’s grave. Wet grass and mud stains her skirt and leggings. Unsteady fingers trace the engraved stone. Her sobs make breathing difficult. She remembers hearing her mother’s voice. Blurry images of her face come to mind. Her laughs echoes in her head. A laugh she will never hear again. She slumps forward. Her head touches the cold, dusty surface of the grave. She covers her mouth with her free hand while the other continues to trace the letters of her mother’s name. Asami shakes with each sob. The cold evening wind dries the tears on her face, but rainfall continues to push through tightly closed eyes. She had not come prepared for this. How could anyone prepare for this?

Gentle hands touch her shoulders. She shudders with each sob, unaware of the presence of the person beside her. Asami thinks she must have embarrassed herself. It is too late to think of such things now. The floodgates were broken in the rush of emotion she cannot not contain upon seeing these graves. 

Those same gentle hands rub her back and pull her into a tight embrace. The smell of lavender, vanilla, and lilies calms her shuddering and soothes her aching chest. The sun retires behind the hills. The blanket of night falls over them. Asami stays in Sanya’s arms, momentarily living in the faded memories of her mother. 

 

Her palms press harder into her eyes. Asami lies awake in her bed. Her eyes are sore from all the crying she has done. Her body aches as her muscles refuse to relax. Her breaths become jagged as she begins to cry again. Though, this time she is not entirely sure why she is crying. She drops her hands to her sides and stares at the ceiling. The unfamiliarity of the room does nothing to comfort her. This bed is not her own. These sheets are not her own. This room is not her own. The strangeness of the room is heightened by her seemingly dire need for comfort. She throws back her covers and swings her legs over the bed. She sits for moment. Listening to the silence of this place. No cars driving by. No ocean splashing against the shore. No soft snoring of her lover. Only her thoughts. Her guilt, her rage, her grief. Asami bolts up and makes for the door. Upon opening it she is met with a familiar face. 

Sanya stands in her door way with a raised fist, as if she were about to knock. “I, umm,” She points to her room across the hall. “I felt like something was wrong so I thought I’d,” 

She does not get to finish her sentence as Asami pulls her into a tight embrace. Stray tears force their way out of tightly closed eyelids and soak into Sanya’s shirt. She releases her embrace and takes a step back into her room. 

“Can I come in?”

Asami wipes away tears and lets out a small laugh. She finds it funny that the woman she shares a bed with is now asking to enter her room. She takes her by the hand and pulls her inside, closing the door behind her. Asami leads her to the bed where she finally settles into her girlfriend’s arms.

This is the same bed that felt so foreign to her earlier. Now seems softer, warmer, more familiar. The bed frame creaks under their weight. It is clearly not meant to hold two people. 

Asami rests her head on Sanya’s chest as the water bender embraces her. She blinks away tears and watches them soak into the fabric of Sanya’s shirt. She takes a deep breath. Upon exhaling, her body relaxes. Tired muscles finally release their tension. The water bender rubs her back, as if she were rubbing away the day’s pain. 

Sanya’s lips brush against her forehead. Asami’s grip on her girlfriend’s shirt tightens. She is fully aware of how easy it is to lose someone.

“I’m here. You’ve got me. I’m here.” Sanya whispers. 

Asami opens her mouth to speak. But all she can manage are soft sobs. 

Sanya plants another kiss on her forehead. 

She takes several deep breaths. Exhaling the contents of her busy mind with each breath. “Thank you.” She finally manages to say.

“Do you need to talk about it?” Sanya asks. 

Asami shifts in her position. She nearly falls out of the small bed, but Sanya’s sturdy arms catch her. She lies on her stomach and stares curious blue eyes. “I don’t know.” 

Sanya is silent. 

“I didn’t think I would… Breakdown like that.” She starts thinking out loud. “I can’t remember what happened after she died. We had a memorial but it didn’t seem right. Like something was missing or wrong. I didn’t know this was here. That I had family here. It’s a lot to deal with.”

Sanya nods. “Take your time. No one is asking you to rush.”

Asami rubs her eyes. “But work,”

“Work can eat my entire butt. No one has any right to rush you after all you’ve been through. Take your time. I’m here, okay?” Sanya kisses her forehead again. “I’m sure auntie and Jet would say the same. Well… If Jet could talk.” 

Through her tears, she laughs. “I don’t know if I could’ve done this without you.”

“You definitely could have. You’re you. You’re so amazing. And I know these people are going to love getting to know you.”

Asami stares at her grinning water bender. She leans forward and plants kisses all over Sanya’s face. “You’re gonna get in trouble if someone finds you in here.” Asami relaxes atop Sanya. She made no attempt at hiding their relationship. Thanks to this, they were placed in separate rooms.

“So I’m gonna get in trouble. Same story, different day. Just a new auntie yelling at me.” 

The grin on Asami’s face vanishes. The transition from calling Lin “chief” to calling her “auntie” felt seamless and natural. She wonders how long it will take her to get to that point with Isami. She wonders how she should address her newfound cousins. 

“Did I say something wrong?” Sanya tries to sit up.

Asami shakes her head. “Do you think they see me as family?”

Sanya chews on her lower lip. “I think they’re taking their time with it. Like you are. It must be a lot for them too. You thought you were all that’s left. I’m sure they thought the same. Then suddenly you find out you’re not? That’s heavy.” 

She nods before sinking down and resting her head on Sanya’s chest. “Okay.” She sighs. 

The girls are silent, lying atop one another in a bed that is much too small. Asami listens to the beating of Sanya’s heart. Soft fingers run themselves through her hair. Sanya starts humming a tune that Asami cannot name, but sounds so familiar. The soft melody carries her to sleep. 

 

Sunlight sears through her eyelids and wakes her from her sleep. Asami stretches. Her muscles make their complaints known about sleeping in such cramped conditions. The purge of emotions the day prior makes her tired today. She wonders if anyone would mind if she slept in. Her hand searches the bed. It comes up empty. Asami sits up and rubs the sleep from her eyes. Sanya is gone. Her disappointment is fleeting as she remembers how many times Sanya has woken up to find herself alone. 

She is quick to get dressed and get out of her room. She makes her way down the corridor, smiling at any passing student. She sees a familiar face at the end of the hall. 

“Leilani!” She jogs toward her cousin. 

The young woman wears the same garb she wore yesterday. She stands at attention with her hands at her back. 

“Good morning.” Asami greets her. 

Leilani nods. “Breakfast is being served in the dining hall. You should hurry if you want to eat.” 

“Thanks.” Asami tries to smile. “Do you know where Sanya is?” 

Leilani shakes her head no. “I hear she has a tendency to get in trouble. Make sure she doesn’t” She turns on her heel and walks away. 

Asami furrows her brow at her cousin. She opens her mouth to retort, but a tugging at her skirt calls for her attention. She looks down to see Ann clutching a stuffed rabbiroo. Her hair is messy and she still wears her pajamas. 

“I saw her.” Her voice still carries residual shyness. 

Asami crouches so she is eye level with the child. “Can you take me to her?” She smiles, staring into the girls eyes. The scar on her face runs through her eye, she no doubt has difficulty seeing through this eye. 

Ann nods and takes Asami by the hand and leads her down another corridor. 

“You’re my cousin, huh?” Ann asks. 

“I guess I am.” 

“Is Sanya my cousin too?”

They make their way outside. 

“Umm. If you want her to be.” Asami is unsure of her answer. 

“Yesterday when we were playing, we were playing avatars, yesterday she said she was gonna marry you one day then we’d really be cousins and she could play with me all the time.” Ann stops and turns around with a horrified look on her face. “But she said not to tell you because it was a secret.” 

Asami grins. She feels a blush coming over her cheeks. Once again, she crouches before the child. “She said that huh?” 

Ann nods. 

“I won’t say anything. I promise.” She holds out her pinky. Her grin spreads from ear to ear as she remembers the first time Sanya introduced her to this gesture. 

Ann stares at her finger before holding up her own. 

Asami hooks their fingers together. “It’s a pinky promise. That means I absolutely, with all my heart, promise I won’t tell.” She winks. 

The girl’s face lights up. She mirrors Asami’s grin. “You’re pretty.” She touches her face. “I wish I could be pretty.” 

Her heart aches for the child. “Who says you’re not? Even if you’re not, who cares? Being pretty doesn’t mean much. I bet you’re great at other things. What’s your favorite thing to do?” 

“Paint!” Ann raises her hand and gets on the balls of her feet. “And earth bending!”  
A sad smile comes over Asami. “Your auntie Amai loved to paint too.” She puts both hands on the child’s shoulders. “You keep painting, okay? You’ll grow up and be so good at it. Maybe you can use earth bending to make art too!” 

Ann nods and grins. She then points to the small thicket of trees. “Sanya went over there. To where gramma is.” 

“Thank you. I can go from here.” 

Ann nods before darting past Asami. 

She walks through the trees and wonders why Sanya would be here. She sees her through the last of the trees. Several koala sheep follow Sanya around as she dusts the grave stones. Sunshine bounces off the newly cleaned surfaces of the smooth obsidian. Incense burns before an offering of fruit and buns at the base of each grave. She wipes sweat from her brow before kneeling before the rightmost pillar. 

Asami swallows the lump in her throat as she walks closer. “Sanya?” She calls out. 

The water bender jumps to her feet and turns quickly, her untied hair moving like a curtain around her face. She uses her foot to push away a bucket. 

“Hi!” She stands stiffly. “Good morning. What are you doing here?” She asks. 

“I should be asking you that.” Asami thinks she might cry again at the sight of her mother’s grave. 

Sanya moves to block her view of the grave stone. “I was just,” She opens her arms. “You know, just,” She struggles to find the words. “Umm,” She picks up the nearest koala sheep. “Just making sure these guys were all clean. I saw them yesterday and thought those guys need a good bath.” 

“Sweetheart, their wool is water resistant.” She pets the animal in her girlfriend’s arms. 

The water bender presses her lips together as her eyes widen. 

“Sanya, put the animal down.” 

She obeys. 

The koala sheep bleats before taking a mouthful of grass. 

Asami takes Sanya’s face in her hands and gives her a quick kiss. Her hands slide down Sanya’s bear arms before she she interlaces her fingers with her girlfriend’s. She takes a step forward and stands before her mother’s grave. Remnants of the clash of emotions she felt yesterday cause another lump in her throat. 

“Hi mom.” She exhales. “I’m here. I’m okay.” She squeezes Sanya’s hand as she cannot stop stray tears from falling. “I’ve met your, I mean, my family.” She reaches forward and traces the name of her mother one more time. She repeats the process with the three other gravestones. “I’ll visit every year. I promise.” She turns to Sanya. 

The water bender holds up her free hand. “We’ve been talking all morning. I think they’re all sick of me already.” 

Asami smiles as they turn to make their way back. She takes one last look back at the grave stones. The koala sheep leave the offerings undisturbed as they graze around the black pillars. 

“How are you feeling?” Sanya puts her arm around Asami’s shoulders. 

She nods and wraps an arm around her girlfriend’s waist. “Better.” She pats Sanya’s stomach. “Thanks to you.” She watches a pink flush overcome Sanya’s face. “We sleep in the same bed, why do you still blush when I say things like that?” She snickers. 

Sanya covers her face and staggers forward. “I don’t know. Leave me alone.” 

Asami puts her hands on Sanya’s hips. “I think my mom would have loved you.” She tickles her girlfriend’s sides. “You would have made her laugh so much.” 

Sanya wriggles under her touch. “You really think she’d laugh at my bad jokes?” 

She pulls Sanya close. “It’s not that they’re bad, they’re just…” She searches her mind for the right word. “A different kind of funny.”

“Nice save.” 

“I thought so.” She continues her tickle assault.

Sanya slips away from her and runs off toward the building’s entrance. Asami chases after her. A few heads turn to watch the couple, but most of the students ignore them. The pair make an abrupt stop. Leilani stands by the door watching them and their antics. 

“You missed breakfast.” She states with her hands on her hips. 

“Sorry.” Asami apologizes. 

Sanya’s stomach growls. 

“Mother instructed me to save food for you two for when you’re ready to eat.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.” Sanya puts her hands over her stomach. “Really.”

“Whatever.” Lelilani turns her nose up at Sanya. “Maybe if you weren’t so focused on the dead you wouldn’t be such a hassle.” She says under her breath as she turns away. 

Asami’s stomach drops. Anger rises in her chest, but she keeps it at bay. 

“Excuse me?” Sanya takes a step forward. “Do you have something to say to us?” 

Leilani turns to face the couple. Nearby trainees feign their morning exercises to watch the scene unfolding. 

“I think you heard me loud and clear.” Her voice is louder now. “I saw you coming out of her room this morning. You have the audacity to break our rules.” Her eyes land on Asami. 

“It was my fault, don’t blame her for that.”

“Oh, I think I’ll blame both of you.”

Sanya drops her head and scoffs. “What is your problem? She came all this way to meet you, to pay her respects to her mom. And you’ve been like an irritated hog monkey. You don’t like me? Fine. But give her a chance.” 

The young women stand nearly nose to nose as they look daggers at each other. 

Asami takes her girlfriend’s arm. 

“What’s going on here?” A deep voice booms. 

Asami pulls her back. She forces Sanya to look at her. “Please.” She mouths. 

Sanya clenches her jaw and looks down before nodding. 

Leilani scoffs. “Spineless water trash.” 

Sanya keeps her head down. Asami knows she heard the insult. 

Isami walks toward them. “Get back to work.” She instructs those who are eavesdropping. “Everything alright here?” She asks the girls. 

Sanya bows. “Good morning ma’am.” 

Isami looks to her daughter. 

Leilani bows. 

“Some of the girls would very much appreciate it if you could show them a few things you learned from your grandmother, Sanya.” The woman says. 

“Of course. I’d be honored.” Sanya averts her gaze. 

“They’re around the corner, first door to your left.” 

Sanya nods. She takes Asami’s hand and gives it a squeeze before departing. 

“Asami, if you have a moment.” She addresses her niece. 

Asami realizes she has been holding her breath during the entire interaction. She nods and exhales. She walks past her cousin, making sure the young woman sees her glare.

“I’ve never seen anyone stand up to my daughter.”

“Oh?”

“The girls here are terrified of her.”

“Because she’s your daughter?”

“Because she’s the most ruthless fighter these grounds have ever seen.” Isami winks. “Takes after her mother I suppose.” She leads Asami to an office.

Isami walks to the other side of a large mahogany desk and takes a seat in a luxurious leather chair. “Please, have a seat.” 

Asami sits in the nearest chair. The walls are sparsely decorated unlike the sitting room. 

“I realized I might have said some things to you yesterday that might have been difficult to digest. I understand you were not raised a warrior like us.”

She is silent. 

“It’s a lot for all of us to take in. I think.” Isami adds “In any case, I think you should have this.” She opens a desk drawer and presents a framed photograph. “Your mother and I with our eldest sister and our mother.” 

Asami takes the photo. Three beaming young women stand in row in full Kyoshi warrior garb, sans make-up. They each hold a a sword at their hips. An older woman stands at the end of the row carrying two metal fans. Asami can easily identify her mother. 

“Something to remember the blood flowing through your veins.” Isami says. “Hopefully the treacherous blood of that man is not too overpowering.” 

Asami looks up, confusion on her face. “That’s the second time you’ve said something like that about my father. I am in no way defending him,” 

“I would hope not. I read you were the one who put him in jail.”

Asami sits up straighter, wanting to make herself appear larger. “He was the man I almost killed.” Her jaw tightens. “If there’s something I need to know about him, please tell me.”

The woman takes a deep breath and sits back in her chair. She eyes Asami with an intensity that rivals Lin’s iron gaze. She knows the woman is calculating her next move. She knows because that is what she would do. 

“Before they married, your father made money in a way that was not exactly legal.” 

Asami grips the edges of the picture frame in her lap. She prepares herself for what she is about to hear. 

“He was in a gang, the Red Suns. I’m sure that name came up while you were digging around. He made a good chunk of money distributing illegal goods and trading in stolen securities. He swore up and down that he had left that life when he married. Can you blame me for not wanting my sister and our family wealth to go to this man?” 

Asami shakes her head no. She stares down at the photo of her smiling mother, wondering what her life could have been like had she not met her father. She closes her eyes and forces the thought out of her head. 

“Your mother told me he only did those things to be good enough for her.” Isami sighs, as though preparing herself to relive painful memories. “It was her choice to make. We all respected it. But, you know people involved with these types of things never truly leave it all behind.” 

“What are you saying?” Asami dreads asking the question. 

Isami shakes her head. “Amai refused to give more than forty percent to start up this business of his. Building cars and planes and such, that is an expensive venture. He was not a wealthy man, not wealthy like us. He needed to get the money from somewhere. These are merely my suspicions, Asami. You will have to find out the rest on your own.” She leans forward. 

Asami meets her gaze. Her eyes burn with rage. “I understand.” Her finger traces the edges of the picture frame. “Tell me, was she happy with him?”

Her aunt tries to smile. She nods. “She was happiest with you.” 

Her mind recalls her conversation with Sanya. She looks up to meet her aunt’s gaze. “May I ask you something?”

The woman nods. 

Asami laughs at the absurdity of her question. “Do you think I could call you auntie? I mean not today, but one day maybe?”

Isami laughs. Her usually steely grey-green eyes soften. “I don’t think that will be a problem. Though, Leilani might take longer to get used to you calling her cousin. Thank you for being patient with her. She is not fond of those from the Water Tribes.” 

“Why? If I may ask.” 

“Do you remember I told you I made a mistake with a boy when I was younger? It seems she made a similar mistake with a water tribe boy.”

Asami nods, trying her hardest to suppress a grin. 

“May I ask you a question now?”

“Of course.”

“What will you do now that I’ve told you about your father?” 

Her grin drops to a scowl. She knows what she must do. These thoughts will fester like an untreated cut unless she seeks out the truth, the only salve that can heal these wounds. She sighs and runs her hands through her hair as she falls back into the chair. “I guess it’s time to pay dad a visit.” 

 

——————————-

Asami drowns out the ambient chatter of the room. Snippets of stray conversations reach her ears. Family members wondering how much longer their loved one will be gone. Small talk masking obvious awkwardness and worry. Lawyers explaining the conditions of one’s sentence. A gentle hand rubs her back. Her muscles relax. 

“How’s it going?” Sanya sits with her legs on either side of the bench so she faces Asami. 

“Oh, it goes.” Asami sighs. 

Sanya laughs. “You’re starting to sound like me.” She gives Asami’s thigh a playful tap. “But seriously, are you holding up okay? This is the first time you’ll see him since…” Her voice trails off. “We don’t have to do this today.”

Asami shakes her head. They came directly to the Republic City High Security Correctional Facility after visiting her aunt. 

“I have to do this now before I lose my nerve.” 

The water bender nods. She opens her mouth to speak, but is silenced by a sight that causes both of them to become uneasy. 

A grizzled Hiroshi Sato is escorted by two prison guards behind a wall of thick glass. Asami momentarily closes her eyes a recalls the image of her mother, aunts, and grandmother to give her strength. She opens her eyes and watches the guards escort Hiroshi to her seat. The jingling of the chains around his wrists and ankles seems much louder than the ambient noise around her. He shoots the couple a smile that sends chills down Asami’s back, but she is quick to recover. His beige prison uniform is nearly as pale as his skin. 

Sanya takes her hand and gives it a quick squeeze. “I’ll be outside if you need me.” She kisses Asami’s cheek before getting to her feet. “Sir.” She nods at Hiroshi without making eye contact before taking her leave. 

Hiroshi is pushed into his seat by the guards. The guards stand against the wall several feet behind their prisoner. They refuse to let him out of their sight. 

“Hello.” Asami folds her hands on the table and stares at a spot where the plastic has started to peel to revel the weathered iron beneath. 

“Still with that girl I see.” 

Her rage boils in the pit of her stomach. She looks up, making sure her father sees the fire in her eyes. “You wanna try that again?” 

Hiroshi smiles. “Hello Asami. How are you?”

She does not answer his question. For a moment, all she can do is stare. 

Hiroshi shifts in his seat as his daughter glares at him. “I’m still your father. I’d still like to know how you’re doing.” 

“Fine.” Asami’s voice is cold. 

“I read in the papers that the company bounced back. How’s production?”

“I went to see mom’s side of the family.” Asami grows tired of his attempt at small talk. 

Hiroshi scoffs. “So tell me, what did that old crow tell you about me.”

“Watch your tongue.” Asami’s nerves and fearfulness dissolve into pure rage. “My aunt told me about your dealings with the Red Suns. Is it true?” 

The man tries to smile. “You have to understand the position I was in back then,”

“Is it true?” 

“Yes.” Chains clatter against the table as he shifts his weight around. “Surely she told you I quit all that. You have to believe me when I say I stopped as soon as we got married.” 

Asami’s stares shoots daggers at the man sitting across from her. “Did your dealings with them have anything to do with mom’s death?”

Hiroshi squirms. 

Asami balls her fists so tightly her nails dig into her palms. “I swear, if you lie to me I will find out.” 

“I don’t know.” He averts his gaze. 

“Spirits help me,” She mutters under her breath as her patience runs thin. “You don’t know?” She raises her voice. “My mother is dead and the image of her body lying lifeless on the floor is burnt into my brain. I just met members of my family I didn’t even know existed. I broke down at my mother’s grave. And you don’t know!” She gets to her feet. 

Hiroshi stares at the exposed iron and begins scratching off bits of plastic on the table. 

“Unbelievable.” Asami sinks into her seat. “Waste of my time.” She thinks to get up and leave.

“I…” Hiroshi starts. His voice is soft. “I borrowed money from them. I didn’t have enough even with your mother chipping in. It took me a while to pay it back. But you know interest adds up. And some of it they didn’t know I took until much later. I had a new company and a child. I just couldn’t give them all they wanted.” 

Asami grits her teeth so hard her jaw begins to ache. “Did you know they’d come that night?” 

Hiroshi looks up at the ceiling. He stops scratching at the table and folds his hands. The chains slide off the table. He takes a deep breath and nods. 

Asami feels her heart sink to her stomach. She thinks she might lose her breakfast. Her elbows thump onto the tables as she momentarily hides her face in her hands. 

“I thought they would just leave if they found out I wasn’t there! You have to believe me, I didn’t mean for it,”

“Shut up.” Asami’s hands drop to her lap. She cannot stomach looking him in the eye for she feels she might end up ripping his deceitful tongue right out of his mouth. 

They sit in silence. The air between them hangs heavy. The well of Asami’s patience has run dry. She knows the truth. Any guilt she once felt about tossing her father in jail is long gone and forgotten. She does not know if her anger towards him will ever go away. She has no problem with this. 

“Please know I loved her very much. I never meat for…” His voice trails off, swallowed by the room’s chatter. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He mutters. 

Asami gets to her feet. “I acknowledge your apology, but I’m under no obligation to accept it.” She nods at the guards, letting them know she is ready to leave. 

She hears the jangling of his restraints as they take him away. He makes no effort to get her to turn around. She has no intention of looking back. Asami takes a deep breath as she walks through the visitation room. She eyes Sanya standing near the front desk with an armful of various snacks. She dumps the contents of her arms into the arms of a nearby janitor. 

“What,”

Sanya points to a vending machine just inside the visitation area. “I was trying to,” She shrugs, “You know.” 

Asami nods as she walks right into Sanya’s arms. 

“How’d it go?” Sanya asks. 

Asami sighs. “It went.”

 

Mountains grow and eventually crumble back down to the earth from whence they came. Asami looks at the stack of three folders on her desk. A stark contrast from the mess she had two weeks ago. She turns in her chair and looks out her open window. The sun is just setting over Republic City. Today’s work was finished so quickly that she gave her employees the go ahead to leave early. She smiles as she thinks she can go home too. She turns back to face her desk. Her eyes land on the newest edition to her desk. A copy of the photo her aunt Isami gave her. The original now hangs in her home office. She smiles back at the women watching her through the photo. A knock at her door causes her to look up. 

“Cake delivery.” 

Asami bursts into a fit of laughter. “Come in.” She manages to say between giggles. 

Sanya pokes her head in through the door. “Not exactly cake, but I didn’t come empty handed.” 

“You could’ve come by in your underwear and I’d be happy.” 

“I’m sure you’d love that.” Sanya jests as she walks through the door. She carries a long brown box beneath one arm and closes the door with the other. 

Asami gets to feet to greets her girlfriend with a kiss. “Don’t tell me this is full of sweets.” She taps the box as Sanya sets it down on her desk. 

Sanya shakes her head no. “Open it.” 

She removes the top while shooting her girlfriend an inquiring look. She looks down to see a glistening black scabbard. Her smile drops as she realizes what it is. 

“This is,” Her fingers trace the length of the sword. She picks up one end and pulls the sword and inch out of its sheath. The name inscribed in the silver steel confirms her guess. “My mother’s sword.” She sheaths the sword and puts it back in its place. She turns to Sanya. “How did you?”

“I just asked your aunt before we left.” Sanya shrugs. Her lips curl into an innocent smile, but her eyes tell Asami there is more to it. 

She sees the card stuck to the plastic packing material. She picks it up to find her name written in elegant letters. The handwriting is so similar to the one she saw in her mother’s journal. She open the envelope to find the stationary of the Kyoshi warrior academy. 

Asami,

This belongs to you. It’s been sitting on that mantle since before you were born. Maybe you can make better use of it. Amai loved this sword. She made it herself. I hope it reminds you of where you came from. That girlfriend of yours is quite odd. She offered to trade Meijin Suki’s sword and fans for this. She asked me not to tell you that though. Oh well. I appreciated that offer, but her reasons were convincing enough for me to part with this. I still think she’s a bit of an oaf, but she loves you. 

Take care,

“Auntie” Isami

She sticks the card back into the box and turns to find Sanya sitting in her chair staring out the window. She walks over to her girlfriend and sits on her lap. She rests one arm on her shoulder before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.” She kisses her again. “For standing by me through all this.” 

“You don’t have to thank me for that.”

“Oh?” Asami feigns disappointment. “I guess I can give all these kisses to someone else then.” She starts to get up. 

Sanya pulls her back in. “Don’t,” She shakes her head. “Joke about that.” 

She settles into Sanya’s lap and shakes her head no, reassuring the water bender that she has no intention of doing that. She cannot contain her grin as she stares into those big blue eyes. 

Sanya pulls her into a kiss. She can feel her girlfriend smiling. Asami feels warmth spread through her body. She throws her arms around her as their kiss deepens. She missed her taste, her warmth, the sensation of her hands against her skin. Tonight, she can savor it without any dark clouds hanging over her head. 

The phone rings. 

Sanya groans as they pull away from their kiss. Asami covers her face with her hands as the phone continues to ring. She takes a deep breath before answering the phone. 

“Asami Sato speaking.” She wipes lipstick off Sanya’s lower lip. 

“Asami. It’s your aunt. No one answered your home phone and Chief Beifong gave me this number.” 

“Hello Aunt Isami.” 

Sanya silently laughs in her seat. “Really?” She mouths. 

She can understand her laughter. Her aunt has no idea no straddles the thighs of the young woman she calls an oaf. 

“I wanted to know if you got the package.”

“I did. Thank you. This really means a lot to me.” 

Silence. 

Asami wonders if her aunt has hung up. 

“Umm, hello?”

“Yes, sorry. Are you available next week? Might we come visit? It’s been so long since I’ve been in Republic City. Also, it seems Ann is missing the oaf.”

“Aunt Isami.” Asami laughs. 

“Sorry.”

“We’ll be free next week.”

Sanya looks at her with a smile on her face. 

“Wonderful. I’ll make preparations and get back to you. Good night.” Her aunt hangs up the phone. 

“My family is coming to visit next week.” She informs Sanya as she puts the telephone receiver back in its place. “That’s gonna be a load of work.” She sighs.

Sanya rubs her back. “Let us carry some of load, okay?” She points to the photo of Asami’s family. 

She kisses her girlfriend. With the contact of her lips, Asami feels a weight lifted from her shoulders and from her spirits. She exhales into Sanya’s mouth and nods. “Okay.”


	18. Extra Extra Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just Sansami being nerds. Set in modern day Republic City, they're on a late night mission. For Ice cream.

Troubled hands reach out, searching for comfort. But find only empty space. Empty space that reminds her of desolate days and hollow hearts. Troubled hands searched for comfort, but found more trouble. Asami sits up and pushes the blanket away. Sleep still clouds her vision. The cold night air hits her face. Beyond the open balcony door, a figure leans against the railing. The comfort her hands were searching for. She takes her robe and makes her way outside. 

“Hey.” Asami says as she holds her robe closer to her body. “Aren’t you cold?” 

Sanya turns and shakes her head no. Though, the raised skin on her bare arms gives Asami a different answer. “Did I wake you?” She waves her over. 

“I have a habit of waking up when you’re not around.” Asami leans on the railing and takes Sanya’s hand.

She bites back a smile and steals a glance at Asami before her eyes drift back toward the full moon. “Sorry about that.”

A curtain of silver and black hair flutters around her face, carried by the wind. Worried eyes are focus on the moon. Her grip is tight around Asami’s hand. 

“Hey,” Asami brushes hair away from Sanya’s eyes. “Where are you?”

Sanya stares at their intertwined fingers. Her thumb traces circles around the back of Asami’s hand. “Do you ever get that feeling like something is missing? Or lost? And it makes you feel,” She pats her chest. “I don’t know, worried? Sad maybe? Like you’ve lost a piece of your puzzle and that empty space is like,” She shakes her head. “Hurting you?”

She reached out to an empty space moments prior. Her mouth opens to speak, but the words will not come. How many nights has Sanya reached over only to find only an empty space? Guilt’s dagger buries itself up to its hilt in Asami’s heart. 

Sanya sighs. “Anyway, doesn’t it look a huge scoop of moon peach ice cream?” She points to the moon.

“What?” Asami is taken aback. 

“Doesn’t it? The spots on it look like little flecks of fruit. You know like in,” She taps her nose. “What’s that brand we like?”

“Magnolia?” 

“Yes!” She snaps her fingers and points to Asami. “You are so smart.” 

Asami laughs. Sanya’s word linger in her thoughts, but for now she plays along. 

“Let’s go get some.” Sanya turns to Asami with a playful grin on her face. 

“Ice cream? Now?” She turns to look at the clock hanging on their wall. “It’s nearly midnight.”

The smile on her girlfriend’s face only grows. 

“Well, I guess there are a few twenty-four hour stores around.” 

Sanya exaggerates her nods. “You’ve been working nonstop for two weeks. You deserve to treat yourself.” 

“To ice cream?” Asami laughs. She always did love this girl’s spontaneity. “I can think of sweeter treats I’d rather have.” A mischievous smirk grows on her face. 

“I don’t see why you can’t have both.” Sanya turns away, trying to hide the blush in her face. 

“Okay, let’s go.” Asami says. 

“Yeah?”   
Asami nods yes. “I was thinking about not going into work tomorrow anyway.” 

Sanya’s eyes light up. “Sweet.” She gives Asami a quick kiss before rushing inside. 

Asami watches Sanya as they dress. It seems as though it has been so long since she has seen Sanya awake. She is asleep when she leaves for work in the morning and asleep when she comes home at night. Her lips curl into a frown. When the last time they had dinner together? She cannot recall. She flashes Sanya a smile before slipping into a light sweater and a pair of tights. Sanya throws on a hooded sweater before slipping on her shoes. Sanya takes her hand and leads her downstairs. In Asami’s eyes, it is as though the world were moving slower than usual. She smiles. She would be okay with that. 

“You wanna come buddy?” Sanya stops before the door and looks down at the white wolf sleeping on a large dog bed. 

Jet stretches before falling back asleep. 

Asami takes her car keys. “No wild parties while we’re gone Jet.” 

“But mild parties are okay.” Sanya jests. 

The car’s roof retracts. Cold air fills Asami’s lungs as she pulls out of the driveway. Sanya runs her hands through her hair and looks out to her right. She knows that look. There is something troubling her. She wonders why Sanya chooses to keep it to herself. She wants so much to reach out and touch her. But, she keeps her desires at bay.

“We can skip the closest Mikron. They never have Magnolia ice cream anyway.” Sanya says, still looking out the side of the car. 

Asami turns to face the road again. She had no idea they had already driven past the small convenience store. 

“I’ve gotta get gas. There’s a twenty-four hour gas place near the office. Mind if we stop by first.” 

“Go for it.” Sanya turns to her. “How’s work been by the way? I’m sorry, I haven’t been able to ask.” 

She shakes her head. How can you ask when I’m never around? She thinks. “Hectic. For every one thing we finish, we get a hundred other things to worry about.” 

Asami exhales. Her grip on the steering wheel tightens. “One thing is finished and ten other things are screaming for your attention.”

She sees Sanya frown from the corner of her eye. The girl need not speak, for Asami reads her thoughts on her face. 

“But, I can’t worry about that now. We’re on a mission.” She smiles at Sanya. The sight of barren streets makes it easy for her to forget anything else exists besides the girl sitting beside her.

“To get ice cream.” Sanya raises an open palm. “It’s okay to high five your girlfriend right?” 

Asami slaps Sanya’s hand. “Always.” 

The girls share a laugh as Asami pulls into the gas station. Bright white lamps illuminate the empty station. The sight is quite menacing to a young woman traveling alone. Luckily, Asami is not alone. 

“How much?” Sanya hops out of the car. 

“Forty should be fine.” Asami answers. She leans against the car and sighs. Sanya’s worried face is seared into her mind. She wonders if she has said or done something to cause such worry. It is not like Sanya to keep things from her. Unless she feels she would be an inconvenience. The thought fuels the boiling anxiety in her chest. 

“No ice cream here.” Sanya announces as she walks toward Asami. “But I think these will do for now.” She tosses two cans of iced coffee into the car and stands several feet away from her. “Probably shouldn’t have done that.” She shrugs before taking out a small red box and fussing over it. 

“Hey.” Asami call out as she inserts the gas nozzle into the car.

Sanya raises her eyebrows, but does not take her eyes off the box. 

“Are you sure you’re okay? You seem…” Asami’s voice drops. “So far away.” 

Sanya freezes. She keeps her gaze on her feet as she takes three steps forward. The blazing white light of station’s street lamp rains down on Sanya. Asami frowns at the sight of tired blue eyes. Eyes that have always told her the truth even when her lover’s lips lie. Sanya has not been sleeping well. 

“Close enough?” Sanya smiles as she places a chocolate covered biscuit stick between her lips. 

Asami shakes her head no before wrapping an arm around Sanya’s waist. The tense muscles on her back relax upon her touch. The warmth of her body is comforting, a welcome relief from the night’s cold air. She pushes herself off the car and bites the end of the biscuit stick hanging from Sanya’s mouth. “Never close enough.” She winks. 

The gas nozzle clicks. Announcing the end of its service. 

“There’s a twenty-four hour market a little ways out of the city. Wanna try there?” Asami asks. 

“Let’s roll!” Sanya hops into the car. “Is it far from here?” She shakes her head. “Actually, no. Don’t answer that. Let’s just go.”

“I haven’t been there in a while. I don’t think I remember the way. I might get a lost. That okay?” Asami teases.

“No way I could get lost with you. Wherever you are is exactly where I need to be.” Sanya opens a can of coffee and inserts a straw before offering it to Asami. 

Asami reaches over and ruffles the girl’s hair. “You’re so sweet. It’s disgusting. Stop that.”

“Really?”

“No. Never stop. Keep going forever.” 

The girls share a laugh. Asami cannot seem to recall the last time they shared a laugh together that was not over the phone. She watches Sanya out of the corner of her eye. She fiddles with the radio before finally deciding on a station. It is as though the wind itself blows simply to play with her hair. She nods her head to the catchy pop beat blaring over the radio. Sanya offers Asami a biscuit stick. She bites down on the chocolate cookie and does her best to keep from smiling. She fails. The biscuit falls into her lap. The car swerves as Asami lifts her bottom out of her seat and dips her head below the steering wheel to retrieve her fallen snack.

“What are you doing!” Sanya laughs. 

“Loving you!” Asami breaks out into a fit of giggles. 

“And that’s causing you to lose control of the car!” Sanya jokes. 

Asami regains control. “Yes, because my hands want to be steering you not this car.” She turns to Sanya and winks. 

Her girlfriend responds with a laugh and quick shake of the head. “No, no. Not working good try though.” 

“Can you do better?” Asami takes her can of coffee and brings it to her lips. 

Sanya taps her nose. “Riding this car is fun, but riding you would be better.” She winks. 

She nearly chokes as a fit of laughter overwhelms her. Her jaw aches, as though it has forgotten how to laugh. Her core is tight, as though it does not remember this sensation. Yet, her body relaxes. How long has it been since she last laughed this hard over something so silly. 

“And that’s how it’s done.” Sanya joins her in laughing. 

 

“I mean, if I really had to choose I just think auntie would win in a fight with a volcano.” Sanya unbuckles her seat belt as they pull into a parking lot. 

Two other cars are scattered about the parking lot. The street lamps provide pockets of light in the darkness. The store’s bright florescent lighting leaks out of the windows and onto the sidewalk. It is empty as far as Asami can see. 

“But why is she fighting the volcano in the first place?” 

Sanya shrugs. “I dunno. Because it delayed her flight?” 

Asami shakes her head. “Lin does not like to be late.”

A familiar melody starts on the radio. 

“This song. By umm,” Sanya points to the radio and chews on her lip. “That guy.” 

Asami laughs. “Yes, that guy. That’s his name now. That Guy. This Song by That Guy.” 

“You have to admit though, that’s pretty uncommon for a song name.” Sanya grins as she begins to dance in her seat. She cranks up the volume.

Asami knows that look on her face. A roguish gleam in her eyes grows as she bites back a smile. 

Sanya hops out of the car and dances around to the driver’s side. 

“What are you doing?” Asami laughs. “You can’t dance!”

“Just because I can’t, doesn’t mean I won’t.” She pulls Asami out of the car and begins singing along. “It’s true, I’ve got a thing for you. All of the things. You do got me feeling butterflies.” 

Sanya may be a terrible dancer, but Asami cannot help but stare at her hips. She decides to join in. Without a soul in sight, she does not worry about embarrassing herself in this parking lot. 

“You’re the real thing baby,” Sanya continues to sing. “Our chemistry is crazy.” She reverts to simply moving her hips along to the beat. 

Asami hated dancing when she was a child. Always forced to dance with a strange boy for the entertainment of adults, anyone would hate it. And yet, when she dances with Sanya she forgets all the hatred, all the yelling, all the discomfort. Despite her girlfriend’s obvious lack of skill when it comes to dance, she would dance with no one else. 

Sanya stands behind her and wraps her arms around Asami’s waist. She takes her girlfriend’s hands in hers as she guides the girl into a dance. 

“Damn girl, you’re just too fly.” Sanya makes her way around Asami. “The way you lick your lips and just touch my spots.” Her finger caresses Asami’s chin before she resumes her dance. 

The girls share a laugh as they continue their private dance party in the empty parking lot. Whatever worries that plagued Asami melt away with each sway of her hips. Every lyric Sanya sings causes the smile on her face to grow. 

The girls continue to dance into another song before a commercial break interrupts them. 

“Lame. Messed up my groove.” Sanya laughs as she wraps Asami in a hug from behind. 

“You have a groove?” 

“I’m borrowing some from you. Hope that’s okay.” Sanya inches toward the store entrance without releasing her embrace. 

Asami keeps her head down. She realizes how much she has missed Sanya’s embrace. Why has it been so long? The corners of her mouth dip down into a frown. She is the reason. Becoming too caught up in her work is not uncommon for her. 

“That’s fine. As long as you pay me back.” 

The couple make their way into the store. 

“And how may I repay you my lady?”

Asami stops before a queue of shopping carts waiting for their turn to take a trip around the aisles. She leans back and pulls Sanya’s head towards her, locking in a deep kiss. Sanya’s hands inch their way around her stomach, causing her to take a sharp inhale. Her body remembers the sensation of her feather light touch against her skin. 

A cleared throat yanks the girls apart. A man standing behind a nearby register glares at them. 

“Sorry.” They say simultaneously. 

Asami covers her face and keeps her eyes on the floor as she bites back a grin. She cannot say this is the first time this happened. A small laugh escapes her as she continues to walk forward. “We really need to,” She turns to find Sanya has wandered off. “Right, she does that.” Asami laughs to herself. Sanya will find her way back to her. She always does. 

She strolls through the empty aisles. She passes by large displays announcing the sale of a new type of cereal. Pictures of superheroes adorn the boxes as they advertise a free prize within the box. She grins knowing Sanya would want a box. When was the last time they had breakfast together? She cannot recall. She intends to eat this sugary treat with Sanya the next morning. 

“Ow! Really? Come on.” Asami hears one aisle over. She takes the nearest box of cereal and heads toward the noise. 

At the opposite end of the frozen food aisle, she sees Sanya rubbing her toe as she leans on a freezer. She looks up and the scowl on her face is immediately replaced by a grin that stretches from ear to ear. 

“Dragon shaped gummies!” She holds up a plastic baggie bearing a ferocious dragon. 

Asami holds up her find. “Superhero cereal.” Her pointer finger taps the box. “Free prize inside.”

“You know me so well.” Sanya says. 

She still wonders what was bothering Sanya earlier that night. “Any luck?” She asks while walking toward her. 

Sanya shakes her head no. “They had regular peach, but,” She sighs. “It’s not the same.” 

“There might be an all night mini-mart by the beach. Wanna try that?” 

Sanya raises an eyebrow. “You have no problem staying out all night just to get ice cream? Aren’t you supposed to be the responsible one?” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Asami puts her hands on her hips. 

“Well, auntie doesn’t yell at you nearly as much as she yells at me. And you know, you go to work all the time. Even when you’re home, you work.” 

Asami frowns. The girl speaks the truth. Do I really need to work that much? Asami thinks to herself. The thought that her obsession with work is hurting Sanya makes her heart ache. Why is she working so much?

“Sami?” Sanya calls her our of her thoughts. 

“I can be,” She pauses. “You know… Like you.”

“Like me?” Sanya laughs. 

“Maybe a little less reckless. I’ve had my fair share of accidents in the garage.” 

“One time I covered the entire house in talc powder because I wanted it to snow. In Ba Sing Se.” Sanya slaps her palm into her forehead. 

“You were such a bad little girl.” Asami laughs as they wander into the next aisle. 

“I still kinda am. I just got taller.” Sanya shrugs. “I bet you were a good girl your whole life.” 

“Not true!” Asami tickles Sanya’s sides. 

The sound of the girls’ laughter mixes with the music of the store’s radio. 

“I got into a bit of trouble when I was a little girl.” Asami thinks back to all the times she tried to “help” her parents. 

“I’d love to hear those stories some day.” 

The smile on Sanya’s face eases the worry sprouting in her mind. 

“But, you’re still the good girl.” Sanya teases. 

Asami continues her tickle attack. 

“I don’t see why that’s bad!” Sanya giggles as she tries to get away. “It’s kinda why I fell in love with you!” She manages to escape Asami’s grip on her sweater. She runs off to hide behind another aisle. 

Another familiar beat plays on the store’s radio. It seems, tonight is a night for music. Sanya comes out from behind her hiding spot. She brings her hands together before her chest as if pleading for forgiveness. 

Asami knows this song. She decides to play along as her girlfriend walks toward her. Her steps are surprisingly in rhythm with the beat. 

“Borrowing my groove again?” 

Sanya bites her lower lip and nods. “I know I got you pullin’ out your hair, pushin’ all your buttons when I act like I don’t care.” Sanya sings along. 

Asami waves her away, turning her head to hide the growing smirk on her face. She walks down the aisle, pretending to ignore the girl serenading her in an empty market. She feigns interest in a wall of various juices. Sanya leans on the wall, begging for her attention. 

“Baby, I love you. I always stay true. Someone you can run to. But somehow we ain't cool” She sings as her hand caresses Asami’s arm. 

Asami gives her an inquiring glance. 

“Cause you think, day and night I'm so cold. Cause I'm so real. I’m sorry.” Sanya shrugs. 

Asami rolls her eyes. 

“But I can change!” Sanya holds out her hand. 

Her hand hovers over her girlfriend’s open palm. Asami pulls back and walks away. 

“Running through the streets and causing trouble, I'm a bad girl.” Sanya sings as she makes her way around Asami. “Never late for work or school cause you’re a good girl.” She points to her. 

Asami puts her hand on Sanya’s chest and gives her light push. 

“I don't care what they say. I think they’re just crazy. You’re the only girl that I need.” She holds out her hand again. 

And again Asami rejects it. She continues her leisurely stroll around the store with Sanya chasing her. She gives the girl an occasional coy glance.

“Baby don't leave me, I know you still love me.” Sanya puts her hands together and pleads as she sings. “Just need you to trust me, so we can be happy.” She smiles. 

That smile. The smile that won her heart. Asami watches her feet as she bites back a grin. “Forever my lay-lay-lay-lay-lady.” She does her best to dance along with the words she sings. 

Asami covers her face to hide a smile that spreads from ear to ear. 

“My lay-lay-lay-lay-lady.” Sanya repeats as she extends her hand once more. 

This time, however, Asami accepts. “Follow me.” She says. 

Her feet take the slightest steps as her upper half sways along with the music. She watches Sanya struggle to mimic her movements and stay in sync with the beat. The girl sighs before giving up and doing a silly dance of her own. 

Asami laughs before grabbing hold of Sanya’s sweater, pulling her into a hug. 

Sanya’s arms hold her in a tight embrace. 

For a moment, the girls forget where they are. They stand in each other’s arms between rows of produce, as though nothing else in the world existed. Asami’s arms tighten around Sanya’s waist. As though she were afraid the girl will disappear if she lets go. She has loved and lost too much for someone her age. She fears it will happen again. Sanya’s singing voice echoes in her head. Just need you to trust me, so we can be happy. Asami exhales her fears. Forever my lay-lay-lay-lay-lady. She need not worry with this one. 

“Do you wanna go?” Sanya asks. 

“Yup.” Asami pulls away from the hug. She keeps Sanya’s hand in hers as they make their way to the registers. 

“You know,” Sanya starts. “If you were a fruit you’d be a fine-apple.” She winks. 

Asami bursts into another fit of laughter. She buries her face in the crook of her arm, unable to speak through the giggles. She does not understand how this girl always manages to make her laugh. 

 

Asami looks down at her cards, then up at the card stuck to Sanya’s head. The cold sea air sends shivers down her spine. She looks at the sea behind them as she leans onto the car door. Their car sits in a parking lot atop a ledge over looking an ocean made of black diamonds. She faces forward to find Sanya staring at her. Or rather, the card stuck to her forehead. 

“Feeling lucky?” Sanya grins. “Because I am.”

Asami only answers with a polite business smile. The same smile she uses before dominating negotiations at work. She takes a dragon shaped gummy candy from the pile on her lap, her winnings for the night. 

Sanya nods then replaces three of her cards. “Are you okay to drive back home?”

“Yeah. I’m used to late nights.” Asami says with the candy in her mouth. She replaces two of her cards. “Not necessarily late nights hunting for ice cream though.” She looks down at her cards again. “The things I get up to when I’m with you.” She shakes her head. 

Sanya shrugs. Her gaze lingers on Asami. Her face softens, a tinge of red colors her cheeks. She bites back a smile and looks back to her cards. 

“What?” Asami laughs. 

Sanya’s finger gestures around her head. “You look like an angel. The moon is like your halo. But,” She laughs. “I’ve never seen an angel with a card stuck to her forehead.” 

She giggles. “Well, there’s a first time for everything.” 

“Like you losing tonight?” Sanya throws down her cards. “Boo-yah!” She peels the card from her forehead and throws in into the pile. Her hand reaches for the remaining candies still in the bag. 

Asami stops her. She lays down her hand.

Sanya’s mouth hangs open. 

Asami peels the card off her forehead. “If I may quote you my darling,” She throws the card down. “Whoomp! There it is!”

The girls share a giggle. 

“Four times in a row? I am truly the best.” Asami takes her winnings. 

“Next time, watch. Next time.” Sanya shakes a finger at her. 

“Next time… I’ll still win.” 

Sanya scrunches up her face in response. She leans back and sighs. “What time is it?” 

Asami checks her watch. “Almost four. We’ve been out a while. It didn’t feel like it at all. Sorry we didn’t get what you were looking for. I could’ve sworn this place was open all night.” She points to the mini-mart behind them. “Try again tomorrow?” She pushes the cards into a pile between them. 

Sanya laughs then shakes her head no. “I found exactly what I was looking for.” She takes the cards and begins shuffling them. She bites back a grin, avoiding Asami’s gaze. 

She cannot contain the need to display her affection. Whatever anxieties she had earlier this night were expunged upon hearing Sanya’s words. She lunges forward and takes Sanya’s face in her hands. Their lips meet before the cards falling from Sanya’s hand hit the car floor. 

Asami straddles Sanya’s lap as her girlfriend’s hands make their way up her back. Her body reminds her of all the sensations brought about by those very same hands. She wonders if it has really been so long. She presses her body against Sanya’s. And Sanya presses back.  
A soft groan escapes her as the taste of Sanya and sugary candy fills her mouth. She pulls away. 

“I’m sorry.” She keeps Sanya’s face in her hands. 

“For what?”

“Being gone for so long. For not realizing it affected you too.”

Sanya shakes her head. “Hey no. You have to work. I get that. I should be sorry for being so,”

Asami silences her with another kiss. “Do not ever apologize for loving me, for wanting to be with me. Okay?”

Sanya smiles and nods. 

“Please say something next time.”

“I’ll try.” 

Asami laughs before covering her girlfriend’s face with a barrage of kisses. She settles into Sanya’s lap and rests her head on her shoulder. She unzips Sanya’s sweater and wraps her hands around her waist, savoring her warmth. 

“Are you cold?” 

Asami nods yes. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you from the cold! You’re lucky your girl is from the Southern Water Tribe. I’m practically immune to the cold.” 

Asami laughs knowing full well how sensitive Sanya is to cold weather. Her warmth envelops her. The steady beating of her heartbeat nearly lulls Asami to sleep. 

“Isn’t it funny how we fit so perfectly together?” Asami lets out a small laugh. 

“Because you’re the missing piece to my puzzle.” Sanya’s voice is nearly a whisper. 

Her words send a jolt of electricity through her body. She clings to Sanya just a bit tighter, making sure this puzzle is always complete.


	19. Thank You

This isn’t another chapter, sorry if I tricked you a bit. I just wanted to take the time to express my gratitude. Thank you for reading this and for supporting these nerds. It was a huge risk for me to create another character to pair up with a canon character and to fill in the gaps with more things I’ve made up. Needless to say I did get hassled for a bit, but that was expected. But those of you who supported me and in turn supported Sanya (and even Jet)… That you so much. I’m sorry that I gave up on this story and myself, the reason for delays were serious mental health issues that sent me to the hospital quite a few times. But I managed. These characters kept me company during my hospital stays, during all the lonely nights, and seemingly unbearable days. I’m glad they could keep you company for a bit too. Thank you again. 

Also, I have a few SanSami shorts I’ve written for no reason. If you’d like me to post those let me know. Additionally, if you have any prompts or anything I can write about these nerds, I’d be happy to give it a shot. As of now, I don’t have any plans to add more to this particular story. Though, that does not SanSami’s story is at an end.


End file.
